When Jerome Nshimiyimana, a young medical professional and the CEO and Founder of JoCare, encountered a young girl with hearing loss who got pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic and was considering suicide, he immediately realized that there was a need to provide health information that included people with disabilities.
Currently, in Rwanda, teenage pregnancy has been on the rise for years, with 17,337 teenagers conceiving in 2017, 19,832 in 2018, 23,544 in 2019, 19,701 in 2020, and 23,000 in 2021.
Many young girls get pregnant before time and are left with tough choices to make. When it comes to people with disabilities it becomes even more difficult. Some resolve to commit the unthinkable since they believe they have no other option.
This happened to a young woman who had hearing loss. The moment she learned she was pregnant was the moment she felt she had no other choice other than death.
It was during COVID-19 that Jerome Nshimiyimana, the CEO and Founder of JoCare, encountered the desperate girl.
“She had become pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic and was struggling to access health information and services due to her disability. She felt helpless and was contemplating suicide,” he said.
Nshimiyimana was determined to help her. With this burning desire to make a difference, Jerome Nshimiyimana founded JoCare, a social enterprise aimed at providing health information, especially sexual and reproductive health information, to the community, including people with disabilities.
His goal was to ensure that everyone had access to the information they needed to make informed decisions about their health.
The young doctor believed that the healthcare industry was expected to undergo significant changes in the coming years, driven by advances in technology, changing demographics, and evolving healthcare needs.
He believed that starting a business that addresses social issues could be a rewarding and impactful endeavor. He was surely not disappointed.
JoCare provided the young girl who felt lost with the necessary health information and connected her with the appropriate healthcare services. They also offered her emotional support during this difficult time.
“After several months of working with her, she gave birth to a healthy baby. She expressed her gratitude and shared that she had decided to keep the baby and raise it with the support of her family,” Nshimiyimana said.
She told the JoCare team that she had previously felt hopeless and isolated but now felt empowered and supported. Talk about an impact!
This success story is particularly inspiring because it highlights the impact social initiatives can have on the lives of individuals and communities.
It also reminds us of the importance of providing inclusive and accessible health services that meet the unique needs of all individuals, including those with disabilities. It emphasizes the power of technology in providing access to health information and services, particularly in remote areas where access to healthcare may be limited.
JoCare is addressing the problem of increasing teenage pregnancies and lack of health information with the inclusion of people with disabilities. Through its online platforms, including a website and mobile application, and offline tools like games, JoCare empowers the community with information to help them make informed decisions about their health.
This has been an issue that the government and several activist organizations such as JoCare have been fighting. JoCare has developed an ultimate approach to dealing with these issues and helping all the communities and people that are affected.
JoCare’s services improve women, men, and especially people with disabilities lives by providing them with information about sexual and reproductive health. The organization’s online platforms and offline tools, like games, help to engage adolescents in discussions about sexual and reproductive health. And The platform offers language options so that everyone feels included and thought of.
Jerome Nshimiyimana, the founder, has a passion for health and innovation. He knows that creating a successful social enterprise is not an easy task.
The team had to deal with limited resources and funding, cultural barriers, limited access to technology in some areas, and the stigma surrounding people with disabilities.
“In some communities, there is still a stigma surrounding disability, which can make it challenging to include people with disabilities in services and products,” Nshimiyimana said.
He added that “Despite these challenges, JoCare has remained committed to its mission of providing health information with inclusion of people with disabilities and has continued to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of the community.”
The JoCare team is committed to making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of the community and beyond. They will continue to innovate and grow to achieve this goal. JoCare serves
“We hope to make a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve,” They said.
One Response
That’s the best initiative which includes even those with disabilities. we are all proud of you.