Innovate for Life is an initiative of Amref Health Africa’s Institute of Capacity Development (ICD) in conjunction with the Elsevier Foundation, Metta Nairobi and Accenture Development Partnerships, that aims to support health innovations. The Programme is centered on developing shared value partnerships between Amref Health Africa country offices and health innovators to support health innovations from across the region to address underlying health challenges.
In 2020, Innovate for Life will be piloted in Kenya and Ethiopia with a cohort of 4 entrepreneurs (2 from each country) shortlisted through a judging process on the VC4A platform. The finalists will for the next 6 months receive training and mentorship to bring to scale, their unique healthcare solutions.
Established in 2017, Rohobot is a home-based health care service that strives to create a suitable environment for chronic and elderly people in Ethiopia as well as Africa. The company provides home-based health care services to elderly people living with chronic illnesses, to help them attain the highest level of independence by offering them support and their families. We administer medications as per the physician’s instructions, perform personal care, monitor vital signs, provide advice on nutrition, collect the sample for diagnosis, offer terminal and nursing care among other services.
Over the last three years, we have provided service to more than 85 households and serves an average of 25 families per day through support from our over 50 staff members. Rohobot’s Founder/General Manager, Nebiyat Demeke Fiseha received the title of Laureate of Women in Africa 2019 in recognition of the accomplishments of Rohobot Home-Based Health Care Service.
Shayashone (SYS) is a private limited company engaged in agricultural commercialization and supply chain development for social impact products, agribusiness advisory and consultancy, and import of industrial raw materials and manufacturing. SYS was established in 2010 and has implemented over 50 investment and development projects from donors in the USA, Canada, Netherlands, and Germany. Some of our partners are: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), USAID, Canadian IDRC, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl), Embassy of Kingdome of the Netherlands in Addis Ababa, Purdue University, Wageningen University, Maastricht School of Management and University of Saskatchewan.
Since 2014, SYS was assigned by Purdue University to develop market and supply chain for PICS bag in Ethiopia. The company also deployed ICT for agricultural commercialization, and so far has a database of over 42,000 smallholder farmers. The company was established by Mr. Yared Sertse.
Strategies for Northern Development (SND) provides an integrated maternal and child mobile health care service for pastoralist women who are unable to access pre/postnatal services, by utilizing an improvised, culturally and socially acceptable Global Positioning System (GPS) ornamental pieces in form of bracelets. The GPS technology enables health care workers to pinpoint and track pastoralist mothers and provide them with critical services, which help reduce maternal mortality, improve infant survival and ANC uptake, and enhance health-seeking behavior change.
SND has wealth of experience in implementing several health projects particularly, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis among vulnerable pastoralist communities under the leadership of its founder, Dahabo Adi Galgallo. With maternal and infant mortality being aggravated by limited access to both pre and post-natal services, SND endeavors to bring these services closer to the pastoralist community through technology.
The Grace Cup promotes and sells reusable menstrual cups and cloth pads since 2017. The company has so far worked with over 2,000 girls and boys across Kenya training them on menstrual hygiene. We partner with NGOs, county governments, corporates and individuals to supply cups and pads, and have worked with Finn Church Aid and UNHCR in Kakuma, Kakamega County Government, Mugie Conservancy in Laikipia, just to mention a few. Grace Cup was founded by Ebby Weyime, a Menstrual Hygiene Management Trainer certified by the Ministry of Health.
