JP Mwolo
My Story
I have lived with type 1 diabetes since July 2005. Growing up in the remote Tanzanian town of Serengeti, I had to battle lack of knowledge, lack of support, lack of information and lack of access to medical care since my diagnosis. It was only 4 years ago that I came out publicly about having type 1 diabetes because the lack of knowledge and stigma was killing patients. After struggling so much myself, I knew that I had to take a stand to educate others and save lives.
My Advocacy
I am a proud Pamojan and I am excited to use my voice to create change in my community. I took part in online advocacy training from T1International in early 2019, and my skills were reinforced during the Sonia Nabeta Foundation and T1International Pamoja training in Ghana later that year. I know that advocacy is a long road, but it is important that we don’t give up.
My team advocacy goal for 2018 was to increase awareness of type 1 diabetes in schools and reduce the stigma related to it. To do this, we delivered 4 presentations about type 1 diabetes in schools in the coastal region. Working with my fellow Tanzanians, we helped amplify our cause and educate many people. We also made television and radio appearances to share information with the public about type 1 diabetes. I continue to educate children and youth living with diabetes at various clinics throughout the country, as well as their parents and health care providers, about how to deal with and overcome social challenges they face due to their condition. Team Tanzania is spreading knowledge about diabetes to the surrounding communities.
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