Location: Africa → Kenya

Grant Amount: $50,000

Grantee Website: https://groundsforhealth.org/

Mission of Grounds for Health
The mission of Grounds for Health is to prevent cervical cancer in coffee communities.

Summary
We are funding a two-year initiative to offer HPV self-sampling and treatment to 10,000 women in Kenya, with a focused expansion to reach marginalized groups, specifically about 800 female sex workers (FSWs) and women living with HIV.

In the first six months, the team will deliver refresher training for nurses and reproductive-health coordinators on sensitivity and confidentiality when working with key populations, directly responding to FSWs’ feedback about stigma in health facilities. Implementation will follow over the next year, including “moonlight testing” that brings self-sampling kits to evening work areas and provides a safe, private location to collect samples. After lab analysis, women receive confidential phone results and are offered treatment at one of 12 participating clinics (with the option to choose a facility where they are less likely to be recognized).

FSWs will receive transport reimbursement and a two-week cash stipend to offset lost income during post-treatment abstinence. For women living with HIV, trained “Mentor Mothers” will provide outreach and education; screening will be available at community sites (e.g. churches, schools) or during routine facility visits, with transport stipends for screening and/or treatment.

Built on years of successful implementation and partnerships in Nyeri County, the project meets demonstrated demand — women consistently ask for more opportunities for HPV self-sampling.

The following are the expected impacts of this grant:

Direct: 800
Indirect: 2,000


Why We Love This
We love this project because it removes the barriers that keep the most marginalized from lifesaving screening and treatment. It couples clinical best practice with dignity-centered design: moonlight testing, confidential result delivery, choice of clinic, and financial supports (transport and a two-week stipend) that make adherence feasible. The use of Mentor Mothers and provider training on sensitivity and confidentiality directly addresses stigma, turning a major deterrent into a point of trust. With an established network of 12 clinics and proven community relationships in Nyeri, this is a pragmatic, scalable pathway to preventing cervical cancer among women who are too often left out of care.