Tambua

Tambua is a browser-based, AI-powered personal health companion that helps young Africans understand their NCD risk before it’s too late.

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Tambua — Know Your Health

Recognize. Understand. Act.

Tambua (Swahili for "to recognize") is an AI-powered personal health companion that helps young Africans understand their risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — before it is too late.

Built at ALU Kigali.

The Problem

Non-communicable diseases — hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, cancer — are projected to become the #1 cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. In Africa, these diseases affect people 10+ years younger than in wealthier regions. Yet most young Africans have never had their blood pressure or blood sugar checked.

The problem is not a lack of health data in the world. It is a lack of personal health awareness.

What Tambua Does

1. Know Your Risk — Personal NCD Risk Assessment

Complete a guided questionnaire covering lifestyle, diet, family history, and habits. Claude AI generates a personalized risk breakdown with culturally relevant explanations.

2. Read My Numbers — Health Literacy Tool

Input health readings (blood pressure, blood sugar, BMI, cholesterol) and Claude explains them in plain language — not medical jargon.

3. What's This Feeling? — Symptom Sense-Check

Describe persistent symptoms and Claude maps them to possible NCD connections, recommends screenings, and tells you when to seek care.

Tambua does not diagnose. It empowers people with understanding and directs them to real healthcare providers.

Key Features

  • Multilingual — English, French, and Kinyarwanda with all AI responses generated natively
  • Culturally Aware — References African diets, lifestyles, and local context
  • Privacy by Design — No personal health data stored on any server
  • Mobile-First — Responsive design optimized for phone screens
  • Scroll Animations — Smooth editorial-style transitions between sections

Tech Stack

Layer Technology
Frontend React 18 + Vite
AI Engine Claude API
Styling CSS-in-JS
Font DM Sans (Google Fonts)
Images Unsplash (free license)
Deployment Vercel / Netlify

Claude API Integration Points

  1. Risk Assessment Engine — Personalized NCD risk analysis from lifestyle data
  2. Health Number Interpreter — Plain-language explanations of medical readings
  3. Symptom Analyzer — Maps symptoms to NCD risk connections and screenings
  4. Multilingual Generation — Native output in English, French, or Kinyarwanda

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Installation

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/tambua.git
cd tambua
npm install
cp .env.example .env
# Add your Claude API key to .env
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:5173

Build for Production

npm run build
npm run preview

Ethical Alignment

  • No diagnosis, only awareness — Helps users understand risk, never tells them what they have
  • Cultural respect — Acknowledges local diets, traditional practices, and regional context
  • Privacy by design — No health data stored on servers
  • Inclusive access — Multilingual support + USSD roadmap for feature phones
  • Harm mitigation — Clear disclaimers, emergency guidance to health facilities

Roadmap

  • [ ] USSD integration for offline access (Africa's Talking gateway)
  • [ ] Additional languages (Swahili, Hausa, Amharic)
  • [ ] Health number trend tracking
  • [ ] Clinic/pharmacy locator
  • [ ] B2B partnership API for insurers and health NGOs

The Numbers

Stat Source
71% of global deaths caused by NCDs WHO
NCDs projected #1 cause of death in SSA by 2030 WHO Africa
NCDs affect Africans 10+ years younger Lancet
Only 10.3% of hypertensive adults in SSA achieve BP control BMJ Global Health
41% of African internet users search health info on mobile Research ICT Africa

Team

Built by Emmanuella Ikirezi, Armel Leger Kayisire — ALU Kigali, CBC Hackathon 2026.

Built With

  • claude
  • dm
  • react.js
  • vercel
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