Objective
The overarching objective of Project Tuyinza is to strengthen the health, resilience and quality of life of children and adolescents living with T1D in low-resource settings, by combining clinical education, psychosocial support, peer mentorship and data-driven program delivery. The project is grounded in SNF’s core belief that together, we can—that when communities are mobilized around shared purpose, children with T1D can thrive despite systemic inequities.
Project Tuyinza seeks to achieve this through three interlinked objectives as follows
1. Empower Warriors through Camps. To educate, inspire, and empower children and adolescents (“warriors”) through warrior camps that serve as safe, stigma-free spaces for learning, community-building and psychosocial support. Camps equip warriors with essential skills for self-management, including bur not limited to understanding insulin administration, diet, blood glucose monitoring, and exercise, while fostering leadership and peer-to-peer mentorship.
2. Support the Newly Diagnosed Warriors. To strengthen early linkage to care for newly diagnosed children in Uganda by providing structured support during the critical first year after warriors are diagnosed. This will be achieved through home visits conducted by clinic nurses and SNF-trained Warrior Coordinators, who guide families through disease management, dispel myths and establish early trust in the healthcare system. Each child will receive a Warrior Welcome Kit containing educational materials, a peer network contact list, and motivational resources to help them navigate this new journey.
3. Measure and Improve Impact through Data and Learning. To establish a robust data and impact measurement system that captures clinical and psychosocial outcomes at camps and during outreach activities. SNF will collect and analyze data on key indicators such as HbA1c trends, treatment adherence, confidence in self-management and stigma reduction. These insights will directly inform program refinement.
Through these objectives, Project Tuyinza aims not only to improve individual health outcomes but also to catalyze systemic change in how T1D is understood and supported across Africa. By investing in peer-led, community-based care models, Project Tuyinza addresses the social determinants of health such poverty, food insecurity, and stigma that often undermine clinical success.
Background Rationale
Type 1 diabetes remains a low priority chronic condition in much of Sub Saharan Africa. Despite being manageable, T1D still leads to high mortality among children due to late diagnosis, lack of insulin access, poverty, stigma, among others. SNF was founded 9 years ago to change this reality. Through a network of now 37 clinics, community leaders, and peer educators whom we refer to as Warrior Coordinators, SNF has shown that with the right support including education, mentorship, and a sense of belonging, clinical outcomes can improve and children can live long, healthy lives. Warrior camps have become SNF’s flagship intervention, bringing together children, clinicians, and families to learn and improve self management collectively. As SNF expands to Kenya, this proposal builds on that foundation to scale a proven model of integrated, community-driven T1D care that strengthens health systems from the bottom up.
Description of Project
Project Tuyinza, meaning “We Can Do This” in Luganda, embodies the Sonia Nabeta Foundation’s (SNF) belief that children living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Africa can thrive when surrounded by supportive, stigma-free communities. Since 2016, SNF has pioneered a holistic care model that integrates medical, psychosocial, and peer-based support through its network of 37 clinics in Uganda and partnerships across Ghana, Malawi, and Zambia.
This proposal seeks funding to expand Project Tuyinza, focusing on two transformative interventions: Warrior Camps and a Newly Diagnosed Outreach Program. Warrior Camps are four-day immersive experiences that educate and empower children with type 1 diabetes (“warriors”) to manage their condition effectively while building community, self-confidence, and leadership. These camps blend clinical education (on various subjects including for example insulin management, diet, exercise) with psychosocial support and mentorship. Each year, six camps will reach 360 children, five in Uganda and one in Kenya.
The Newly Diagnosed Outreach Program aims to address a critical gap in care. For many families, a T1D diagnosis is overwhelming, often accompanied by fear, stigma and misinformation. SNF’s model of care ensures that every newly diagnosed child in Uganda receives a home visit within two weeks of diagnosis, a Warrior Welcome Kit (educational materials, peer network contacts and motivational support), and follow-ups every six months during their first year.
Recognizing that sustainable impact requires evidence, SNF is introducing a Research, Data, and Impact Measurement component. This will systematically track health and psychosocial outcomes at camps and during home visits to inform program delivery. Data collected will also contribute to global efforts like BreakthroughT1D’s T1D Index, helping strengthen global understanding of T1D in low-resource settings.
Ultimately, Project Tuyinza aims to improve the clinical outcomes of children with type 1 diabetes by addressing all aspects of medical care including psychosocial support.
Anticipated Outcome
By the end of the three-year project period, Project Tuyinza will achieve:
1. Over 1000 warriors (360 warriors annually) gaining improved disease knowledge, psychosocial well-being and treatment adherence.
2. All newly diagnosed children in Uganda enrolled in the structured outreach program within two weeks of diagnosis.
3. Improved clinical outcomes measurable reduction in average HbA1c levels and reduced acute complications.
4. Expanded local capacity with clinicians and warrior coordinators trained in peer support, data collection, and T1D education.
Ultimately, Project Tuyinza will demonstrate that when clinical care is coupled with psychosocial support and community empowerment, children with T1D in Africa can have improved clinical outcomes
Relevance to T1D
Project Tuyinza directly contributes to improving T1D outcomes by integrating medical, psychosocial and peer-led approaches to care. It aligns with global efforts for data from low-resource contexts, currently among the least represented in global T1D research.
The program addresses three critical needs including building T1D knowledge and confidence in self-management of the condition; Early support where by newly diagnosed warriors are linked to care and support systems and generate evidence and contribute to a stronger understanding of of T1D in low resources settings.
By nurturing a generation of empowered warriors and informed clinicians, Project Tuyinza is transforming T1D care from survival-based to dignity-based anchored in the belief that together, we can do this. Over the 3-year project period, Project Tuyinza will reach more than 1000 children through camps, enroll every newly diagnosed warrior in structured follow-up care, and generate high-quality data that can shape both national policies and international advocacy ultimately improving clinical outcomes of warriors.