NexaCare

In Tanzania, like in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), young people, particularly adolescent girls and young women, face significant barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services. Limited healthcare infrastructure, socioeconomic disparities, and cultural norms contribute to these barriers, preventing young people from realizing their right to the highest attainable standard of health.

A significant problem in Tanzania is the lack of accessibility to SRHR services in remote and rural areas. According to the Tanzania Family Planning survey, only 34% of rural women aged 15-49 receive family planning information from a health worker, compared to 50% of urban women. This discrepancy highlights the significant gap in SRHR service provision in rural versus urban areas.

Moreover, limited access to comprehensive sexuality education and information exacerbates the problem. The TDHS reports that only about 26% of young women aged 15-19 in Tanzania have comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS. This lack of knowledge can lead to risky sexual behaviors and unwanted pregnancies, further compounding the issue.

NexaCare aims to address this specific problem by bringing mobile clinics to remote areas, providing much-needed SRHR services to underserved communities. The mobile clinics will offer a range of services, including family planning, prenatal and postnatal care, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment. Furthermore, the telehealth support will enable patients to consult with experts for specialized advice and follow-up care, bridging the gap between rural and urban healthcare services.

Our solution will directly impact the lives of young women and girls in remote areas of Tanzania, providing them with the necessary tools and resources to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. The scalability of our model means that we can extend our reach to other LMICs facing similar challenges, ultimately improving the quality of and access to SRHR services on a global scale. By doing so, NexaCare will play a crucial role in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.7, which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services by 2030.

NexaCare is a mobile clinic service that brings essential sexual and reproductive health (SRHR) services to remote areas, backed by telehealth support for expert consultations and follow-up. Our solution combines the mobility of clinics on wheels with the power of technology to provide comprehensive healthcare access to underserved communities.

Our mobile clinics are equipped with the necessary medical equipment and staffed by trained healthcare professionals to offer a range of services. These include family planning, prenatal and postnatal care, STI testing and treatment, and more. The clinics travel to remote areas, setting up temporary service points where community members can access these services.

The telehealth component of our solution is a crucial aspect. Through telehealth, patients can consult with specialized healthcare providers for expert advice, regardless of their geographical location. This is especially beneficial for patients who require specialized care that may not be available in their immediate vicinity. Follow-up consultations and care are also facilitated through telehealth, ensuring continuous support and care for patients.

Our solution utilizes mobile technology and telehealth platforms to connect patients with healthcare providers. The telehealth support is provided through a user-friendly mobile application that allows patients to schedule consultations, receive prescriptions, and access educational materials on SRHR.

We are currently offering our services to 2 remote villages in the Masai community in the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania, catering to approximately 210 villagers. Our aim is to expand our reach and provide our services to more remote communities in Tanzania and eventually to other low- and middle-income countries facing similar challenges.

NexaCare is an innovative solution that leverages the mobility of clinics and the power of technology to bring essential SRHR services to remote and underserved communities. By doing so, we are addressing the gap in healthcare access and contributing to the global efforts to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services by 2030.

NexaCare serves rural communities in Tanzania, with a specific focus on the Masai community in the Great Rift Valley region. The target population consists of individuals who have limited access to sexual and reproductive health services due to geographical barriers, socio-cultural factors, and a lack of healthcare infrastructure.

The Masai community, like many other rural communities in Tanzania, is underserved in terms of healthcare access. Women and girls, in particular, face significant barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health services. These barriers include long distances to healthcare facilities, lack of transportation, cultural stigmatization, and limited availability of services. The lack of access to these essential services has severe implications on the health and well-being of the community members, contributing to high rates of maternal and child mortality, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections.

Our solution directly addresses the needs of these communities by bringing healthcare services to their doorstep. The mobile clinics eliminate the need for long-distance travel, making it easier and more convenient for community members to access the services they need. Furthermore, the telehealth component ensures that patients can receive expert consultation and follow-up care without having to travel to distant healthcare facilities. This is particularly important for patients with complex or chronic conditions that require specialized care.

By providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, NexaCare will have a significant impact on the lives of the target population. Women and girls will have access to family planning services, prenatal and postnatal care, and other essential services, empowering them to make informed choices about their reproductive health. This, in turn, will contribute to reduced rates of maternal and child mortality, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections.

Additionally, the education and awareness component of our solution will address the socio-cultural barriers that often prevent community members from seeking healthcare services. By providing accurate information and debunking myths and misconceptions, we aim to change attitudes and behaviors, promoting a culture of health-seeking among the target population.

The team at NexaCare is well-positioned to deliver this solution because we have a deep understanding and connection to the communities we are serving. Our team lead, Julieth Shayo, has a personal story that ties her to the Masai community in the Great Rift Valley region. Born and raised in Tanzania, Julieth has firsthand experience with the challenges and barriers faced by rural communities in accessing essential healthcare services. Her passion for improving the lives of women and girls in these communities drives the mission and vision of NexaCare.

Julieth's proximity to the community and her lived experience give her unique insights into the needs and challenges faced by the target population. She has used these insights to guide the design and implementation of the solution, ensuring that it is tailored to meet the specific needs of the community. Julieth has also engaged with community leaders, local healthcare providers, and community members to gather input and feedback on the solution. These interactions have been invaluable in refining the solution and ensuring that it is culturally sensitive and aligned with the community's values and beliefs.

The design and implementation of NexaCare's solution are meaningfully guided by the communities' input, ideas, and agendas. We have conducted extensive community consultations and needs assessments to understand the specific healthcare needs and challenges faced by the target population. Based on this information, we have developed a solution that addresses the identified gaps in service provision and meets the specific needs of the community.

Wwe have established partnerships with local healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders to leverage their expertise and resources in delivering the solution. These partnerships ensure that the solution is grounded in the local context and that it benefits from the knowledge and experience of those who are already working in the community.

Our team is committed to continuously engaging with the community as we implement the solution, gathering feedback and making adjustments as necessary to ensure that the solution remains responsive to the needs of the community. We are also committed to monitoring and evaluating the impact of the solution, using data and feedback from the community to make informed decisions and improve the solution over time.

Our solution currently serves 2 remote villages in the Maasai community in the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania, with a total population of approximately 210 villagers. Since the inception of NexaCare, we have been actively working to reach out to these communities, providing them with vital sexual and reproductive health services through our mobile clinics.

The mobile clinics are equipped with the necessary medical equipment and staffed by trained healthcare professionals to provide a range of services including contraceptive counseling, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, antenatal care, and more. In addition to the in-person services, we also offer telehealth support for expert consultations and follow-up care, ensuring that the villagers have access to comprehensive and continuous care.

We have been meticulously tracking the number of individuals who have accessed our services, and we are proud to say that we have been able to make a positive impact on the lives of the villagers. Our team is continuously working to improve and expand our services to reach even more people in need, and we are committed to providing high-quality care to improve the sexual and reproductive health outcomes of the communities we serve.

Our solution, NexaCare, is innovative in its approach to providing sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls in remote areas. Through the use of mobile clinics and telehealth support, we are bridging the gap between the lack of local healthcare facilities and the need for expert consultation and follow-up.

One of the key innovations of NexaCare is the integration of telehealth services. This allows women and girls in remote areas to connect with healthcare professionals and receive expert advice and support without having to travel long distances. Our telehealth platform is user-friendly and designed to be accessible to people with limited technical skills. It also supports multiple languages, ensuring that we can serve a diverse population.

Another innovative aspect of our solution is the use of mobile clinics. These clinics are equipped with the necessary tools and equipment to provide a range of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, prenatal and postnatal care, and STI testing and treatment. The mobile clinics are staffed by trained healthcare professionals who are passionate about serving the needs of women and girls in remote areas.

The combination of mobile clinics and telehealth support makes our solution unique and allows us to provide comprehensive care to women and girls who would otherwise have limited access to these services. Our solution is also scalable and can be adapted to serve other communities in need.

Our approach to engaging the community in the development and implementation of our solution ensures that we are meeting the specific needs of the people we serve. By involving women and girls in the decision-making processes and incorporating their feedback, we are ensuring that our solution is tailored to their needs and will have a meaningful impact on their lives.

Our innovative approach has the potential to change the market by demonstrating the effectiveness of mobile clinics and telehealth support in providing vital healthcare services to remote populations. This could catalyze broader positive impacts from others in the space and encourage more organizations to adopt similar models. By leveraging new technologies and a new approach to healthcare delivery, we are changing the way sexual and reproductive health services are provided to women and girls in remote areas.

Our primary impact goal for the next year is to expand our reach and serve at least 1,000 women and girls in remote areas of Tanzania. To achieve this, we will:

1. Increase the number of mobile clinics from 2 to 10.
2. Expand our telehealth platform to support 2000+ users, a 400% increase from our current user base.
3. Develop partnerships with 5 local organizations and community leaders to increase awareness of our services and reach 1000 more women and girls in need.
4. Conduct 3 regular assessments to ensure that our services are meeting the needs of our target population and make necessary adjustments.

In the next five years, our goal is to have a national presence and serve at least 10,000 women and girls across Tanzania. Additionally, we aim to improve the overall sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the communities we serve. To achieve these goals, we will:

1. Increase the number of mobile clinics to 20, reaching an additional 10,000 women and girls.
2. Strengthen our partnerships to include 20 local organizations, community leaders, and government entities to increase support for our services.
3. Develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track our impact and make data-driven decisions, aiming for a 50% improvement in sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the communities we serve.
4. Leverage our learnings and best practices to advocate for policy changes and increased funding for sexual and reproductive health services in Tanzania, aiming for a 30% increase in funding over the next five years.

Our impact goals are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, and Goal 5: Gender Equality. Specifically, we aim to contribute to the following indicators:

• Maternal mortality ratio: aiming for a 20% reduction in the communities we serve.
• Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel: aiming for an increase from 50% to 80%.
• Proportion of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods: aiming for an increase from 40% to 70%.
• Adolescent birth rate (aged 10-14 years; aged 15-19 years) per 1,000 women in that age group: aiming for a reduction from 120 to 80 per 1,000 women.
• Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use, and reproductive health care: aiming for an increase from 30% to 60%.

By working towards these indicators, we aim to create a transformational impact on the lives of women and girls in Tanzania and contribute to the global effort to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes.

At NexaCare, our theory of change can be outlined in the following steps:

1. Activities:

   • Deploy mobile clinics to remote areas
   • Provide sexual and reproductive health services through these clinics
   • Offer telehealth support for expert consultation and follow-up.

2. Outputs:

   • Increased access to sexual and reproductive health services in remote areas
   • Improved knowledge and understanding of sexual and reproductive health issues among the target population
   • Strengthened support network for women and girls seeking these services.

3. Immediate Outcomes:

   • Improved sexual and reproductive health outcomes for women and girls in remote areas
   • Increased use of modern contraceptives by 50% in the first year
   • Reduced rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies by 30% in the first two years.

4. Long-Term Outcomes:

   • Improved overall health and well-being of women and girls in remote areas
   • Empowerment of women and girls to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health
   • Contribution to the reduction of maternal mortality by 20% and improvement of child health outcomes by 25% in the next five years.

5. Evidence and Support for Our Theory of Change:

   • Our pilot program in two remote villages in the Masai community of the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania has already shown positive results, with over 210 villagers accessing our services.
   • Research shows that access to sexual and reproductive health services is directly linked to improved health outcomes for women and girls (World Health Organization, 2020).
   • Data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) indicates a high need for such services in remote areas, with only 30% of women in rural areas having access to modern contraceptives.

Our solution addresses the problem by providing accessible and quality sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls in remote areas, who are currently underserved. By doing so, we expect to improve their health outcomes, empower them to make informed decisions, and contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality and improvement of child health outcomes in these communities. 

Our theory of change is supported by our pilot program results, global research, and national data, all of which underline the importance and impact of the services we are offering.

Our NexaCare solution team consists of the following:

• Full-time staff: 3 This includes our team lead Julieth Shayo, a healthcare professional, and two other full-time staff members responsible for operations and logistics.

• Part-time staff: 1 We have one part-time staff member who assists with administrative tasks and coordination.

• Contractors or other workers: 1 We also work with a contractor who provides technical support for our telehealth platform, ensuring that the technology runs smoothly for both our on-the-ground team and the remote experts providing consultations.

Our journey with NexaCare began in January 2023. In these nine months, we have worked tirelessly to bring our vision to life, establishing mobile clinics and integrating telehealth support to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services to remote communities in the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania. Our efforts have already started to make a positive impact, with our services reaching two villages in the Masai community, benefiting around 210 villagers. We are continuously learning and adapting our approach to best meet the needs of the communities we serve, and we are committed to expanding our reach and impact.

At NexaCare, we are deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work. We believe that by fostering an environment that celebrates diverse perspectives and experiences, we can create more innovative solutions that better serve the needs of the communities we work with.

Our leadership team reflects this commitment to diversity, with a mix of individuals from different backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities. We strive to ensure that our team is representative of the communities we serve, as we believe this is crucial to understanding and addressing their unique needs.

To further our goals of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, we have taken several actions, including:

1. Implementing a hiring process that is transparent, fair, and inclusive, with a focus on attracting a diverse pool of candidates.

2. Providing regular training and education for our team on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

3. Actively seeking out and collaborating with partners and organizations that share our commitment to these values.

4. Regularly assessing our programs and services to ensure they are inclusive and accessible to all members of the community.

Our work in the Great Rift Valley of Tanzania has also highlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity and respect. We take great care to ensure that our services are culturally appropriate and respectful of the traditions and values of the Masai community. This includes working closely with local leaders and community members to co-design and implement our programs, ensuring that they are tailored to meet the specific needs of the community.

Moving forward, we will continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work. We will regularly review and update our policies and practices to ensure they are aligned with these values, and we will continue to seek out opportunities to learn from and collaborate with others who share our commitment to creating a more equitable and inclusive world.

NexaCare's business model is focused on providing essential sexual and reproductive health services to remote and underserved communities in Tanzania, with a particular emphasis on the Great Rift Valley region. Our primary beneficiaries are women and girls in these communities who often lack access to these critical health services. 

We provide value to our beneficiaries through our mobile clinics that are equipped with telehealth support. These clinics offer a range of services including contraceptives, prenatal and postnatal care, STI testing and treatment, and health education. The telehealth support allows us to connect our beneficiaries with expert healthcare providers for consultation and follow-up, ensuring they receive the best possible care.

Our revenue is generated through a combination of funding from donors and partners, as well as from fees for service. We work with a range of stakeholders including NGOs, government agencies, and other organizations that are aligned with our mission and values. We also seek funding from international donors and foundations that support sexual and reproductive health initiatives.

We believe that our innovative approach, which combines mobile clinics with telehealth support, is a sustainable and scalable model that can be replicated in other remote and underserved communities. By providing essential health services directly to the communities that need them the most, we are making a significant impact on the health and well-being of women and girls in Tanzania. 

In addition to our impact goals, we are also committed to creating a financially sustainable organization that can continue to grow and expand our services. We are constantly exploring new funding opportunities and partnerships that will enable us to scale our impact and reach even more beneficiaries. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that NexaCare becomes a leader in the field of sexual and reproductive health services, providing valuable support to communities that have traditionally been left behind.

Our plan for financial sustainability at NexaCare involves diversifying our revenue streams to ensure a steady flow of income to fund our operations. We aim to achieve this through a combination of the following:

1. Fees for Services:

   • We will charge a nominal fee for the health services provided through our mobile clinics. These fees will be kept minimal to ensure accessibility for the majority of the population in the remote areas we serve.

2. Grants and Donations:

   • We will continue to seek funding from donors and foundations that support sexual and reproductive health initiatives. This will include both local and international organizations committed to improving healthcare in underserved communities.

3. Partnerships:

   • We will form partnerships with NGOs, government agencies, and other organizations that are aligned with our mission and values. These partnerships will provide us with both financial support and access to resources that can enhance our services.

4. Selling Products:

   • We will explore the possibility of selling health-related products such as contraceptives, sanitary pads, and other essentials as an additional revenue stream.

5. Service Contracts with Governments:

   • We will work towards securing service contracts with local governments to provide sexual and reproductive health services in targeted communities. These contracts will provide a steady source of income for our operations.

6. Investment Capital:

   • We will also explore the possibility of raising investment capital to fund our expansion and increase our impact.

Our goal is to create a balanced mix of revenue streams that will cover our expected expenses in the long term. We are committed to maintaining the affordability of our services while also ensuring the financial sustainability of our organization.

As we expand our services and reach more communities, we anticipate that our revenue will also increase, allowing us to become self-sustainable in the long term. We are constantly exploring new opportunities and strategies to achieve this goal, and we are committed to the financial health and sustainability of NexaCare.