Community Diabetes Screening Initiative
Bringing diabetes prevention, education, and care closer to the communities we serve.
Diabetes is rising worldwide, but access to diagnosis and treatment remains uneven. The World Health Organization estimates that 54 million adults in its African Region were living with diabetes in 2022, with more than half undiagnosed and untreated. When screening, medication, and ongoing care are difficult to access, people may not get help until complications develop.
For more than a decade, Feeding Mouths, Filling Minds (FMFM) has worked with local organizations across sub-Saharan Africa to improve nutrition, clean water, food security, education, and community health. We’re building on those relationships to address diabetes alongside the conditions that shape people’s ability to prevent and manage it.
Our role
In June and July 2026, FMFM launched pilot medical camps in Ngong Hills and Gatune, Kenya. More than 500 people received services that included diabetes and blood pressure screenings, nutrition education, disease prevention resources, and training to help them manage their health.
The response showed a need for accessible diabetes services and helped inform our next step: building a continuous path from prevention and screening to treatment and follow-up. FMFM is working with trusted local leaders, healthcare providers, and community organizations so the program can strengthen care already available in each community.
Our approach brings together:
Early detection: Community-based diabetes and blood pressure screening
Practical education: Nutrition, prevention, and diabetes self-management guidance
Access to care: Connections to medications, monitoring supplies, and local healthcare providers
Ongoing support: Follow-up that helps people act on their results and manage their health over time
The outcome
The Kenya pilot camps reached more than 500 people. FMFM is now working to turn what we learned into a sustainable model that helps more people identify diabetes earlier, understand their results, and access the support they need after a screening.
Building on pilot work in Kenya and Malawi, we aim to expand through trusted partnerships in communities where FMFM already works, including Rwanda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. As the initiative grows, we plan to measure outcomes and refine an approach that local partners can sustain and adapt.
What grant support will make possible
Grant support will help FMFM move beyond individual screening events and build a more complete pathway of care. Funding will support:
Expanded community-based diabetes screening and prevention programs
Diabetes and nutrition education
Improved access to essential medications and blood glucose monitoring supplies
Additional resources for local healthcare providers
Follow-up care and measurement to understand what is working and improve the model
“Screening gives someone information, but what happens next matters just as much. We want people to understand their results, have someone they trust to turn to, and get the support they need to care for their health over time”
Our partners
Local healthcare providers, community leaders, and organizations are central to this initiative. Their knowledge and relationships help make programs relevant to the people they serve and support care that continues after a medical camp ends.
Help build healthier futures
Where someone lives or what they earn should not determine whether they can learn about diabetes, get screened, or access care. If you’re interested in supporting this initiative through a grant or partnership, we’d welcome a conversation.
