Fanice Nyatigo (2019)
MamaTips
MamaTips is a subscription service that sensitizes rural Kenyan women on the importance of proper health care practices during their pregnancy, in a bid to encourage them to take an active role in ensuring their health and that of their baby. On a weekly basis, MamaTips uses an automated system to progressively send vital health information as recommended by the World Health Organization. The tips given are in line with the mothers gestation stage, explaining what is happening in their womb, guiding them on how they could best support their growing baby and warning them on danger signs that they should be vigilant of. The primary target is women in rural or semi-urban settings where there is limited access to information and education. Additionally, the mothers will have the option of choosing someone they trust, such as their spouse, sister, friend or mother, to enroll in the service so that they can receive the same messages, act as accountability partners and provide a solid support system for the mother and baby.
By leveraging on the high mobile phone penetration in Kenya, currently at over 95%, MamaTips reaches a large number of women conveniently and efficiently, giving them information and updates right in their hands. MamaTips builds on work done by the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA) and is adapting and implementing this health messaging approach in the Kenyan context.
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Biography
Born and raised in Kenya, Fanice Nyatigo is a UC Berkeley graduate with a degree in Bioengineering and a Certificate in Technology and Entrepreneurship. With her passion lying at the intersection of technology and health, she leverages computation, analytics and informatics to improve healthcare delivery and biomedical research. During her time in college, Fanice founded MamaTips, a platform to provide healthcare information to expecting couples in rural Kenya, where maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates are exceptionally high. She is also the co-founder at M-soma, a talent development company to equip Kenyan youth with the relevant software and web development skills needed in the job market. Fanice’s ambitions are fueled by the need for gender equality and economic development in developing countries. She is a MasterCard Scholar, an Unleash talent for the UN SDGs, and a Clinton Global Initiative Award recipient.
