PANJOYA

(01) PROJECT PANJOYA

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU,

TO SAVE LIVES.

Healthy Mothers. Healthy Babies. Every year, children are born with hydrocephalus and spina bifida—conditions that damage their brains and are often fatal. We want to prevent this, and we have a plan to do so. To make this plan a reality, we need your support.

(02) THE LAST MILE

THE LAST MILE DESTROYS LIVES.

Healthy mothers. Healthy babies. Getting enough folic acid (vitamin B9) before and at the start of pregnancy is the most effective way to prevent spina bifida (open spine) and the hydrocephalus (water on the brain) that is often associated with it.

In Tanzania’s major cities, mills are already adding folic acid to the flour. But in rural areas, heat and humidity cause the vitamins to break down because the flour is stored improperly. Aid is failing at the last mile. We’re changing that.

MILL

FOLIC ACID ADDED

STORAGE

HEAT & HUMIDITY

VILLAGE

VITAMINS BREAK DOWN

MOTHER

UNMATCHED

CHILD

UNPROTECTED

Founder of PANJOYA

(03) FOUNDER

"I know how unbearable the pressure in your head can become."

My name is Sybille. I have hydrocephalus. I’m very lucky: I live in Switzerland and have access to excellent medical care. In Tanzania, it’s different: many children there die before their fifth birthday. I’m going to change that.

(04) THE PLAN

THAT'S THE PLAN.

The three steps:

TRAIN

WE EMPOWER LOCAL WOMEN

At a selected partner mill in Tanzania, we show women how to store flour in a way that preserves its folic acid content. Through a “train-the-trainer” program, we teach them how to pass this knowledge on to other women.

THESE WOMEN ARE SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE

The trained women share their knowledge in their villages and maintain constant communication with Panjoya to ensure that the aid reaches its destination reliably.

SCALE

HOW WE'RE CLOSING THE GAP

We are fully covering the “last mile,” measuring our success by declining case numbers, and gradually rolling out the system to additional mills and other African countries.

(05) You matter!

How do you get involved?

Do you work in public health? Are you involved in health policy? Are you a community worker or adult educator who wants to train people in your local community? Or are you a philanthropist who wants to support this project?

Send us an email

(06) TEAM & PARTNERS

OUR TEAM AND OUR PARTNER NETWORK

We are committed to supporting PANJOYA. We work to combat hydrocephalus and spina bifida.

We are building a team made up of people with lived experience, researchers, advocates, and representatives from partner organizations.

The PANJOYA association, based in Switzerland, brings our interests together.