Exploring Social Business, Sustainable Cities and Health

Melissa Headshot

Let’s build healthy cities. I love new ideas and working on early-stage initiatives.

I built this website as an online magnet to find my people. Take a look and say “hi”!

 

30 Second Bio

I’m the Founder of Access Afya, an urban health company in Nairobi that has served over half a million people.

Virginia-born, I lived in Kenya for 9 years and am now based in the UK.

I spend my time investing in purpose-driven companies and helping them grow.

I write a newsletter about cities, social entrepreneurs and building community.

Some of my ideas & writing

Writing
A Story About A Shoe
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A Story About A Shoe
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It would be a shame if polio resurfaced in Kenya on account of an expensive shoe.

Getting up close and personal with corruption.

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How should we support entrepreneurs?
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How should we support entrepreneurs?
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Countless conversations and surveys reveal the same types of things. The “what” that entrepreneurs need. I’m interested in the “how.”

Here are my top five tips on building your support approach and communicating with entrepreneurs.

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The M-Pesa of Healthcare
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The M-Pesa of Healthcare
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M-Pesa is simply a platform that facilitates a distributed network, which is exactly what is needed for healthcare.

I’ve got a clear picture in my mind of a distributed, connected healthcare system – one that ensures access for everyone. I think this future of health could look a bit like our adjacent fintech scene.

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Neighborhood Vitals in Practice
Neighborhood Vitals
Neighborhood Vitals in Practice
Neighborhood Vitals

There are individuals and groups that are already using the Neighborhood Vitals approach. Here are some of my favorite examples of places using local data to promote healthier environments.

Neighborhood Vitals