The Journey of Mr. Haroun Shiundu: From Personal Experience to National Impact
Founder & Executive Director
The story of Utafiti Wellness is deeply personal - it begins with the lived experiences of our founder, Mr. Haroun Shiundu. Growing up in Western Kenya, Haroun witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of limited healthcare access on his community. He saw brilliant research papers gathering dust on university shelves while communities struggled with preventable health challenges just kilometers away.
Following his graduate studies, Haroun worked with multiple organizations in a volunteer capacity, where he consistently observed a critical gap: high-quality research conducted in Kenya rarely translated into actionable solutions at the community level. This disconnect between academic excellence and real-world implementation became a defining concern.
"Research should not end in publications. It should begin conversations, spark innovations, and transform lives. Every piece of evidence must find its way to action."
— Mr. Haroun Shiundu
A timeline of key moments that shaped Utafiti Wellness
While conducting personal skill-building community health assessments in rural Kakamega, Haroun met Mama Aisha, a 72-year-old grandmother caring for her orphaned grandchildren. Despite numerous studies on elderly care in Kenya, Mama Aisha had never benefited from any program. This moment crystallized Haroun's determination to bridge the research-implementation gap.
Haroun mobilized few Community Health Promoters & 2 public health graduates to implement a small-scale ElderCare pilot in three villages. Using evidence from geriatric research, they developed culturally appropriate interventions. The project's success-improved health outcomes and community engagement-proved that research translation could work.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Haroun observed how communities with strong local health champions fared better. He realized that empowering communities with evidence and skills was more sustainable than external interventions. This insight became the foundation for the Community Champions Initiative.
With a clear vision and proven approach, Haroun formally registered Utafiti Wellness Research Association. The name "Utafiti"—Swahili for "research"-was chosen deliberately to emphasize our core mission: making research relevant, accessible, and actionable for Kenyan communities.
Under Haroun's leadership, Utafiti has grown from a passionate idea into a nationally recognized organization impacting community lives in Kenya. Today, we're not just implementing programs-we're shaping the conversation around community health in Kenya.
Core principles that guide our work, inspired by our founder's vision
We believe research must translate into tangible community benefits. Every study should have a clear path to implementation.
Communities are not beneficiaries but co-creators. We work with, not for, the people we serve.
We build capacity within communities to ensure solutions endure long after our direct involvement ends.
We adapt global best practices to local contexts, ensuring innovations are culturally appropriate and practical.
We achieve more through partnerships than alone. Collaboration amplifies our impact.
Data guides our decisions, but compassion drives our actions. We measure success in lives transformed.
When I look back at our journey, I'm reminded that Utafiti Wellness was never just my vision-it was a response to the needs I saw in my community. What began as frustration with unused research has grown into a movement that honors both scientific excellence and community wisdom.
I'm often asked what keeps me going. The answer is simple: the stories of transformation. Like Grace, a Community Champion in Malava who used our training to reduce malaria cases in her village. Or Professor Wanjala, whose research on nutrition we translated into a school feeding program reaching approximately 500 children.
Utafiti is proof that when we bridge the gap between evidence and action, when we listen to communities as much as we study them, we can create sustainable change. Our work is far from complete, but every day, we're moving closer to a Kenya where health research doesn't just inform-it transforms.
Founder & Executive Director
Utafiti Wellness Research Association
Haroun's vision for the next chapter of Utafiti Wellness
Establishing a world-class research institute in Kenya focusing on community health innovation, with state-of-the-art facilities and partnerships with leading global institutions.
Creating a training academy to develop the next generation of community health leaders, researchers, and innovators across Africa.
Developing an innovation hub that incubates and scales digital health solutions designed by and for African communities.
Expanding Utafiti's model to other African countries, creating a continent-wide network of evidence-based community health organizations.
Haroun's journey from community observer to national leader shows what's possible when passion meets purpose. Join us in writing the next chapter of Utafiti's story.