Accessing Reproductive Healthcare: Shanduko AI

MSc fellow Cyprian Masvikeni is actively testing and refining a homegrown AI solution designed to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information for young people in Zimbabwe.

Just over a year ago, he presented the idea for a WhatsApp-based chatbot at the AI Health Innovation Workshop at the University of Zimbabwe, held in partnership with Imperial College London. Since then, the focus has been on building, deploying, and learning from real-world use.

The result is Shanduko AI, a chatbot now live on WhatsApp that provides free, anonymous access to sexual and reproductive health information. It requires no downloads, no sign-up, and no cost, making it accessible to users who need privacy and low-barrier access to reliable information. AI is already built from human input and interaction, and as a result of this, the construction of Shanduko AI is entwined with real life application, stories and people.

Though Shanduko AI is now available for use (see link below), work continues to be done to:

• Improve the accuracy and consistency of responses

• Expand language capabilities to support Shona and Ndebele

• Learn from user interactions to refine the experience

• Explore pathways for integration and scale through engagement with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and other stakeholders

'Shanduko'—meaning change—reflects both the purpose of the tool and the process behind it. The work is ongoing, grounded in real-world use, and focused on building a solution that can scale responsibly, changing the lives of people across Zimbabwe.

Access Shanduko AI: wa.me/263714717274