Malaica might be an example on how to improve maternal health also in other African countries
FemTech focus: Malaica
I have to say that every time I read about an African start up in FemTech that is scaling up, an immense joy fills my body.
And reading about the success and especially the positive impact of Malaica , I feel a big sense of proud. Co- founded by Dr Lorraine Muluka, gynaecologist and obstetrician, Malaica aims to be one of the solution for safe motherhood and to change the narrative of maternal and neonatal mortality ratios in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Kenya, like many Sub-Saharan African countries, has a high maternal mortality rate, 530 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, significantly above the global average of 223 and far from the SDG target of under 70. The country also reports high neonatal mortality.
Key contributing factors include:
Delayed care: women face delays in deciding to seek help, reaching healthcare facilities, and receiving quality treatment.
Systemic barriers: overburdened health systems, long travel distances, high healthcare costs, and fragmented or reactive care.
Lack of education and support: especially in rural areas, women lack knowledge of warning signs and have limited access to ongoing medical and emotional care.
Despite these challenges, most maternal deaths are preventable through early check-ups, coordinated emergency responses, and continuous, affordable care. This situation highlighted the urgent need for improved healthcare access and quality, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths. For contrast, in 2017, maternal deaths were 6 per 100,000 live births in Europe, 16 in the U.S., but 342 in Kenya, underscoring stark global health inequalities.
Malaica is a comprehensive platform dedicated to supporting women during pregnancy and motherhood, offering a range of services designed to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience throughout this transformative journey.
The company provides a diverse type of services, that I want to give the space to highlight:
Comprehensive Antenatal to Postnatal Plan: that includes monthly physical checkups, birth preparation classes, and consultations with specialists, ensuring both mother and baby receive essential care.
Vaginal and caesarean deliveries, prioritizing safety and compassionate support
The platform also features an online support program, allowing users to access personalized care from nurse-midwives and gynaecologists, as well as community to connect with other mothers through private support groups, fostering a strong sense of community.
So far, the company has supported 261,000 Kenyan women with free educational contents and 1,811 women within its paid program. Beyond the created impact, Malaica has been able to grow its revenue by around 10% month over month since its launch two years ago.
Latest news of Malaica is 1 million CHF raised from high-level business angels and family offices, including Kapor Capital (a Silicon Valley based VC with a wealth of experience in maternal health. The funds will be used to accelerate its growth); and partnership with Britam Insurance, one of Kenya's largest health insurers with subsidiaries in seven other African countries. This partnership aims to further roll out the Malaica program for both higher and lower income populations.
What I believe makes Malaica unique and maybe this contribute to its success is that :
It uses automation and AI to personalise care and keep costs low, enabling midwives to support more women without compromising quality. The hybrid setup ensures access for mothers in both urban and rural areas.
Hybrid model combining expert in-person and online medical care, digital innovation, and community support. Each mother is paired with a trained midwife who supports her from the first scan through to postpartum recovery. Because this midwife knows the woman’s medical history as well as her personal situation, she can respond quickly in case of complications , a critical factor in reducing maternal mortality.
Community-driven approach: the platform connects mothers to Kenya’s largest online pregnancy community. Expectant mothers aren’t left to navigate pregnancy alone , but instead they’re part of a digital network where they can exchange experiences, get 24/7 emergency access to a Nurse midwife, can attend birth preparation classes and mental wellness check-ins.
Offers a unique approach to pregnancy support that focuses on the holistic wellbeing of expectant mothers, including physical health, mental wellness, and delivery readiness.
Access to obstetricians/gynaecologists, educational content, and a nurturing online community moderated by supamums for peer support.
The future of Malaica seems positive and bright
“We are committed to expanding Malaica’s reach and improving the pregnancy journey for expectant mothers in Kenya and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that even more mothers have access to better support and care throughout their pregnancy.
As a health tech company, we will continue to leverage advanced technology for telehealth services, making our services more accessible and convenient, especially for mothers in remote areas.
We also aim to foster connections among mothers and provide a strong network of emotional support through our expanding community of expectant mothers. Additionally, we are building partnerships with healthcare institutions, NGOs, and government bodies to strengthen our impact on maternal health and reach underserved populations.
I am willing to interview founders and/or worker in the start ups I feature in my newsletter. So stay tuned!
References:
From OB/GYN to entrepreneur: the Kenyan doctor rethinking maternal health
Malaica secures pre-seed funding to expand pregnancy care in Kenya
How A Digital Health Solution Is Helping To Save Women’s Lives In Kenya
Fashion
This was my outfit (Valentino knit; Hanifa skirt; Gucci Jackie bag; Maison Margiela shoes; Le Specs sunglasses) for one of the days at Loophole of Venice, a three-day symposium held in October 2022 at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice. Organized by curator Rashida Bumbray, with Saidiya Hartman and Tina Campt as curatorial advisors, the event accompanied artist Simone Leigh’s U.S. Pavilion exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Inspired by Harriet Jacobs’ concept of a “loophole of retreat,” the symposium brought together Black women artists, scholars, and activists from around the world to explore themes of sovereignty, resistance, and Black feminist thought through performances, discussions, and creative presentations. This event was magic, specially because my dear friend Mistura Allison was invited as one of the panelist and gave an amazing speech (where I was also featured and she surprised me 🥹 )
Wishlist
Who knows me and my shopping addictions, knows one of my favourite designer is Dries Van Noten, or Papa Dries. I love almost EVERYTHING about his collections, but I think my favourite collections is the one he did with Christian Lacroix.
Anyway in my Wishlist there is definitely these sandals of which there is also another pinkyish version. Mesh shoes have been a trend this years, with different version form The Row and Alaia, just to name a few. Sales have arrived already in some resellers website (as Net-a-Porter, My Theresa and Luisa Via Roma) and I believe soon will be in Dries Van Noten website. I would sign up to their newsletter to get the alarm!
Good Reading
As I write this newsletter, I literally finish this book the day before in the plane to Florence. I always find it difficult to read books that uses terms and languages of the past. Glorious Exploits is the debut novel by Irish author Ferdia Lennon, set in 412 BCE in ancient Syracuse. The story follows two local potters, Lampo and Gelon, who, amidst the aftermath of Athens’ failed invasion of Sicily, decide to stage a Euripidean tragedy . Told in sharp, contemporary Irish vernacular, the novel blends dark humor with poignant drama, celebrating the power of art, friendship, and empathy in times of conflict. It’s been widely praised for its wit and emotional impact.
With a difficult start, as I said due to the complex and specific language used during that time, I felt totally trapped in the story. The irony , the tragedy , the joy and the sadness. The book has received multiple accolades, including the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction, and was adapted for Radio 4.
Music
I want to see Mary J Blige live. I need to write it down different times to manifest it. I was introduced to Mary by my mum (my music guru) and her music has been the soundtrack of many adventures of my life. “Be Happy” is definitely on my top 3 of her music.
Anime
“ Hell’s Paradise” follows Gabimaru, a ninja on death row, who is offered a chance at freedom if he can retrieve an elixir of immortality from a mysterious island.The island is not what it seems, as it is filled with dangerous creatures, including monsters and immortal beings, and other dangerous criminals. The story and the animations are impeccable. We are still waiting for the second season, so if you do not want to wait as I have done (because I am sure you are going to finish the first season in a week), just wait a bit more as rumors say it should come out sometime in this year!