Our Story
We are Akure
Julayo’s story is deeply personal. Dr. Funmilayo Bandele, co-founder of Julayo completed her first nursing degree in Akure, Nigeria, where she developed a strong bond with the city and its people. After losing her father-in-law to septicemia due to an untreated infection, she became deeply committed to preventing similar tragedies. Alongside Dr. Polk, who brings her global health expertise from working in over 10 countries, the two co-founders are applying insights from one of the highest-rated U.S. healthcare organizations to create a sustainable healthcare model. Their vision includes prepaid memberships on a sliding scale, comprehensive healthcare under one roof, and infrastructure adapted to Akure’s unique cultural and social needs
Why fund our project?
Drs. Polk and Bandele have studied the healthcare culture in Akure to identify the barriers to healthcare access and utilization. Nigerians in Akure mostly access healthcare in their last moments, spending their family’s life savings when they are very ill and their prognosis is poor. This is typically futile and creates distrust for the healthcare system which perpetuates from generation to generation. Julayo plans to break that cycle by creating a healthcare system which the patients will access regularly, getting to know their practitioners and participating in primary health care, preventative and lifestyle medicine. Instead of simply bringing treatments for common problems like diabetes, Julayo will also teach ways to prevent diabetes using traditional foods in the setting of low resources and little to no electricity. This approach creates immediate and lasting change within the community. Additionally, all employees of the clinic will be local Nigerians providing employment and infrastructure that will reverberate through the city.