Project Juani
Improving the health of women and girls in Siaya County, Kenya
Juani began in 2023 and was created to address the unmet healthcare needs of women in Sega, Kenya - a rural village approximately 1.5 hours by car from the city of Kisumu. Our name is derived from Swahili and literally means "in the sun" while the verb Kujua means "to know." We hope this project lives up to its name and brings knowledge, hope, and empowerment to the women of Sega so that they may experience many sunny days ahead. Juani was founded by a group of clinical and public health practitioners and women's health champions seeking to improve reproductive and maternal health outcomes in Siaya County. We have ties to the land, people, and culture of this village, and we hope you'll join us in bringing evidence-based medicine to the women and girls of Sega.
Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is to improve the lives of women and girls in rural Kenya through healthcare, education, and empowerment. We envision a future where all women are safe from violence, are empowered to make their own healthcare decisions, and can access the care they need.
A recent needs assessment highlighted several concerns affecting women within this community.
We're prioritizing initiatives to address four focus areas:
The Wilson Center
To address these needs, we're opening The Wilson Center for Women to bring preventive health services to women and girls in Siaya County. Our 2024 priorities are to:
Increase cervical and breast cancer screening rates and facilitate access to the HPV vaccine. Cervical cancer is currently the most deadly cancer affecting women in Kenya.
Deliver menstruation education to girls and boys in grades 6-8 and distribute sustainable period products to girls to reduce period-related school absences. Approximately 95% of menstruating girls in Kenya miss 1-3 days of school each month because of their periods.
Please consider making a donation today to help support our public health initiatives.
With your contribution, we'll be able to...
Continue and expand on our health education programming, focusing on women's health topics like reproductive cancer screening and prevention.
Facilitate administration of the HPV vaccine.
Provide counseling and support services to survivors of gender-based violence.
Open The Wilson Center for Women and welcome our first patients.
Purchase necessary equipment and supplies such as speculums, fetal dopplers, office supplies, and exam tables.
Your contribution of approximately...
$7 pays for cervical cancer screening for one woman
$18 pays for ultrasound imaging which can assist in the diagnosis of breast and uterine conditions
$50 pays for seven hours of health education delivery to our CBO members
Our Community-Based Organization
Juani is a Community Based Organization (CBO) registered with the Directorate of Social Development in Siaya County. Our CBO has 77 registered members and continues to grow. We meet quarterly and our members receive education at each meeting on topics affecting women's health. Membership is open to women (and supporters of women!) living in Siaya County. To become a member, contact maureen@juani.org.
Maureen Onyango, Site Coordinator and CBO Chairperson
Lenox Oduor, CBO Secretary
Jack Oduor, Clinical Officer and CBO Vice Chairperson
Sharon Kasiti
Nurse
Millicent Kaimenyi
Development Officer
Reagan Odhiambo
Security Guard
Our U.S. Footprint
We're a team of volunteers determined to make preventive healthcare more accessible to women in Kenya. We primarily work remotely throughout the U.S. to support our team in Sega as they implement educational programming and prepare for the opening of The Wilson Center. We have expertise in public health, medicine, social work, engineering, and communication - and we've been working tirelessly to ensure our vision becomes a reality. In 2023, 14 volunteers and interns across the globe donated over 740 hours to Juani, an investment worth more than $28,000 USD.
A Message from the Directors
We created Juani in 2023 to bring preventive healthcare to women in Siaya County. John grew up in Lwero, a village within this county, and we've seen first hand the poverty, sickness, and suffering that persists today. As nurses, we're tackling healthcare, because it's what we know and because it's what the community needs. We’ve built The Wilson Center for Women on our family’s land, named after John’s father, Wilson Onyango. We're personally and professionally invested in this project and we hope you'll join us in bringing primary care to women and girls in rural Kenya.
We're tremendously grateful to everyone who has contributed to our project, especially our volunteers and interns, who who have collectively devoted more than 1,000 hours to ensuring the success of our project.
Sincerely,
The Onyangos
John Onyango, BBA, Nurse
Sara Onyango, DHSc, MPH, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, CHES