Two Kenyan Form Four students have developed a digital platform that gathers, verifies, and shares African herbal knowledge with the world. The two girls, Nakhumicha Wambongo and Nicoel Ngeno from Nova Pioneer Eldoret Girls, launched Sankofa Vitals, a platform dedicated to preserving the medicinal wisdom of elderly elders.
“Sankofa is a digital platform that collects, verifies, and shares African herbal knowledge with the rest of the world. It is safe, simple, and accessible. You search by symptom — for example, bloating, coughs, or sore throats — and are provided with plant-based solutions that are researched by real people and constantly fact-checked,” they explained.
Nakhumicha shared a personal story that motivated their innovation. She recalled how a family member managed high blood pressure without relying on expensive medication.
“She was able to wean herself off hypertension drugs in just three months through herbs and consistent exercise. It worked. Herbal medicine helped my co-founder’s grandmother manage her blood pressure naturally, and it was impressive,” said Nakhumicha.
Nova Pioneer Eldoret Students Launch Sankofa Vitals, a Digital Herb Solutions
The duo created Sankofa Vitals to address the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases.
They believe the issue isn’t a lack of solutions, but rather the neglect of herbal remedies that are valid, effective, and affordable.
“When we say Sankofa saves both lives and coins, we mean it. The real problem is that knowledge is fading. Research is often complex and inaccessible, while social media is full of DIY wellness tips. Meanwhile, elders with authentic herbal knowledge are growing older, and their wisdom isn’t being preserved,” said Nicoel.
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She added: “Modern life is exhausting, and non-communicable diseases are rising quickly, not because we lack solutions, but because we’ve forgotten them. Herbs like moringa and neem helped Micha’s grandma heal, and they’ve supported African communities for generations.”
“Herbal medicine isn’t just an ‘alternative’, it’s valid, effective, and affordable. Health is something to invest in early, not fix later. That’s why we built Sankofa Vitals — to make trusted herbal knowledge easy to access, especially for young people like us.”
How the Platform Works
The platform allows users to search by symptom and access plant-based remedies that are fact-checked and reliable.
Sankofa’s business model employs a premium approach where basic information is free, while startups and wellness brands can pay for premium access, which includes lab data and expert consultations.
Revenue streams include lab partnerships, content licensing, and community memberships.
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The duo has submitted their joint project to the Craydel Cup 2025, Kenya and Uganda’s largest inter-school business pitch competition for high school students. The competition aims to encourage students to form teams and develop business ideas that solve real problems in the two countries.
How to Vote:
- Go to cup.craydel.com
- Click “About Craydel Cup” and select “Submissions”
- Choose the team you want to vote for.
- Click the “Vote” button.
- Fill in your name and email address (Don’t autofill your email to ensure accuracy).
- Click “Vote Now” to submit your vote.
- Enter the OTP sent to your email into the designated field on the voting website. (OTP expires in 5 minutes).
- Click the “Submit” button to verify your OTP.
- Once the OTP is successfully verified, your vote is cast.
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