Chiedza Mushawedu
ZimbosAbantu
In rural Zimbabwe, getting sick can mean embarking on a 15 to 20-kilometre journey on foot just to reach the nearest clinic. For many, this punishing walk under scorching sun or through the cold night becomes the difference between life and death.
Closing the healthcare gap with mobile clinics
Co-founded by Chiedza Mushawedu in 2021, ZimbosAbantu Healthcare on Wheels is a mobile health social enterprise delivering 24-hour primary care to underserved communities. With repurposed vans turned into clinics-on-wheels, powered by renewable energy and equipped with diagnostic tools, ZimbosAbantu is bringing care directly to those who need it most.
From maternal and child health to dental and eye care, immunisations, nutrition education, and on-the-spot lab diagnostics, ZimbosAbantu’s mobile units have cut walking distances from 15KM to just 3KM. This simple shift and solution has radically transformed how communities in Zimbabwe access care, especially in informal settlements where healthcare infrastructure are found wanting.
Tech-enabled, community-funded
ZimbosAbantu combines frontline care with technology to close the healthcare access gap. In partnership with Econet Wireless, frontline nurses are supported through high-quality telemedicine services, dramatically improving doctor-to-patient ratios. With tools like HealthCube, a portable diagnostic lab, nurses can run over 12 lab tests in even the most remote, off-grid locations, with results interpreted instantly by remote doctors.
Through the Chikwama Mukando Wehutano programme, a community health pool fund, nearly 1,000 vulnerable individuals contribute as little as $3/month toward the holistic care of the community. The same fund also offers micro-loans to women-led businesses in the region, creating a virtuous cycle of economic and health resilience from within the community.
Key project results
Families benefitted along the chain of production
Low-income communities served
Full-time jobs created
Community-based health mobilisers trained
ZimbosAbantu Healthcare on Wheels is a Zimbabwean social enterprise offering mobile clinics powered by renewable energy and health tech.
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