Epilepsy in Mahenge, Tanzania

Presented By

Julianna Shinnick

Presentation Date

10/02/2019

Affiliation

MSN Student

Penn Nursing Degree(s)

BSN ’19

Julianna Shinnick started working with the Mahenge, Tanzania epilepsy clinic as a Davis Projects for Peace Fellow. Mahenge has a rate of epilepsy 15 times higher than the US and people with epilepsy are discriminated against at work and school.

Julianna designed and implemented a program with the Mahenge clinic that provides scholarships for children who have been previously expelled from school. Scholarships allow them to return to a welcoming classroom. Since then, this scholarship program and other related projects have grown into a small non-profit, Open Mind Microfinance, that serves people with epilepsy in the Kipigoro Mountain region of Tanzania. She is excited to share some of her stories at Global Bites.