Naom Monari trained as a nurse and, working within Kenya's public health system early in her career, witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for patients with long-term conditions to access specialist care outside major cities — often requiring journeys of up to 200 kilometres each way, twice a week, for years.
In 2017, while still a student nurse, Monari founded Bena Care with support from the Futuremakers Women in Tech programme, providing affordable home-based nursing services that connect nurses and physiotherapists with patients suffering chronic and life-limiting illnesses. The service has since served over 25,000 patients, reducing the financial and emotional strain of hospital-based treatment for families across Kenya.
Following COVID-19, Monari's team observed a sharp rise in patients needing dialysis, prompting her to secure a research grant from the International Development Research Centre and partner with a local university on a year-long study. This led to Renal Roads, Sub-Saharan Africa's first mobile dialysis unit — a converted 40-foot shipping container bringing hospital-grade kidney care directly to rural communities. An independent evaluation in Murang'a County found patient travel distance fell by 76.6% and treatment adherence rose to 100%.
- Founded Bena Care, serving over 25,000 patients across Kenya
- Built Renal Roads, Sub-Saharan Africa's first mobile dialysis unit
- Achieved a 76.6% reduction in patient travel distance and 100% treatment adherence in pilot evaluations
- Holds a utility patent for the mobile dialysis unit's vibration-resistant configuration
- Direct clinical experience reveals systemic gaps others miss.. Monari's years as a working nurse gave her firsthand insight into rural healthcare access failures.
- Crisis can redirect a mission toward a bigger problem.. The pandemic-driven rise in dialysis need led her from home nursing toward a far more ambitious mobile clinic model.
- Rigorous evaluation builds credibility for scaling.. Commissioning an independent, university-partnered study gave Renal Roads verified evidence before wider rollout.