About Us

Juani is a project of Empowerment WORKS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 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." Our mission is to improve the lives of women and girls through healthcare, education, and empowerment. Juani was founded by a group of clinical and public health practitioners and women's health champions determined to improve reproductive and maternal health outcomes in Siaya County.

Our Project: The Wilson Center for Women

After conducting a needs assessment, we have determined the most critical issues affecting women within this community to be (1) lack of access to women's preventive health care services such as cervical cancer screening, (2) pervasive gender-based and intimate partner violence, (3) low health literacy related to reproductive and sexual health topics, and (4) high maternal mortality rates, due in part to an inability to obtain transport to hospitals during labor. To address these needs, we are planning to offer and/or facilitate access to women's health and obstetric services, educate and mentor women and girls, and provide support for survivors of gender-based violence.

We are in the process of building The Wilson Center for Women, which will serve as a primary care clinic and space to provide health education, mentoring, and counseling services. We hope to be able to welcome our first patient through these doors before the end of 2024.

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. 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. Please join us in bringing evidence-based medicine to the women and girls of Sega.

Asante Sana!

(Thank you very much!)

J&J Large Hand Poured candle