Afya Guard Quarterly Newsletter - Q1 2026
Afya Guard is a social venture based in Morogoro, Tanzania, dedicated to preventing malaria among pregnant women and young children by delivering accessible and sustainable solutions. Our vision is a Tanzania where every expectant mother and child is free from malaria, and our mission is to empower rural women through malaria awareness, natural solutions, and organic mosquito repellent production.
Founder Story
I grew up in a remote village where mosquitoes thrived, and I watched loved ones succumb to malaria. I was not spared either. During secondary school, I contracted malaria more than ten times, even during national exams, and I remember the headaches and shivering while trying to focus in class.
Those experiences pushed me to develop an organic mosquito repellent spray as a school project. Today, that same idea is helping protect vulnerable communities from mosquito bites for up to 10 hours.
Fig. 1: Group session with women on using lemongrass as a cost-effective mosquito control intervention.
Our Activities - Q1 2026
In the first quarter of 2026, I conducted a training session for six women from low-income communities in the Morogoro region. The training focused on using lemongrass plants for mosquito repellent purposes.
Participants learned to identify lemongrass species effective for mosquito repelling. The training also covered active components in lemongrass, such as limonene and geraniol, and their role in mosquito prevention.
I also conducted a malaria awareness session, and we talked about the causes and symptoms of malaria, the effects of malaria on individuals and communities, preventive and alleviation measures, and the mosquito life cycle.
Each participant received lemongrass seedlings to plant at home, so the learning could continue in a practical way and support sustainable mosquito control.
Fig. 2: Cymbopogon (lemongrass) species for effective mosquito control.
Fig 3: Women received lemongrass seedlings.
Impacts
- Enhanced women’s knowledge of malaria causes, effects, and prevention.
- Formation of six teams of women serving as community malaria ambassadors.
- Adoption of environmentally friendly and cost-effective mosquito control using lemongrass.
Future Plans
- Train 20 women in producing mosquito repellents using natural plant-based ingredients.
- Scale up the Malaria Ambassador Program to reach more communities.
- Launch Malaria Ambassador Programs in universities and colleges.
- Establish mosquito repellent production units for women from low-income families in Dodoma.
Call to Action
I warmly invite you to join Afya Guard in the fight against malaria. You can contribute by volunteering, raising awareness, making donations, and more. Every action helps protect mothers and children from malaria.
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to friends, community members, volunteers, and donors for supporting this initiative. Your collaboration helps turn our vision into reality.
Contact Us
Afya Guard – Morogoro, Tanzania
Email: founder@afyaguard.org
Phone: +255 768 641 810
Website: https://afyaguard.org/about-us