Partner Organization: The Leo Project
Location: Laikipia County, Kenya

In Kenya, 68% of the population lives in rural areas. The Leo Project (TLP) serves 22 rural villages across Laikipia County spanning more than ten tribes – including Kikuyu, Maasai, Samburu, and Meru – which means cultural context and language shift from one community to the next. While patients in Nairobi may start treatment within months, patients in Laikipia can wait up to a year – driven by weak referral systems, delayed diagnosis, and limited infrastructure. Nationally, 69% of cancers are detected at advanced stages, and the true burden is undercounted: cancer registries cover only 11% of Kenya’s population, often missing rural communities.

Sonali’s work focused on mapping breast and cervical cancer care pathway to address lethal diagnosis-to-treatment delays and fragmented referrals, using community-based participatory research and co-design to uncover service gaps and build a patient-centered oncology care model tailored to local needs. In 2027, The Leo Project will open the county’s first rural oncology center to expand screening, chemotherapy access, and timely diagnosis in a county where over half a million people lack access to cancer care; Sonali’s team, with classmate Renny Honda, strengthened breast and cervical cancer service implementation by mapping patient journeys, co-designing early screening and referral pathways, and identifying digital health opportunities. Sonali and Renny drew on mentorship from The Leo Project’s Founder (a Harvard Chan alum and cancer survivor), Professor Rifat Atun, and global oncology and implementation experts across Dana-Farber Center for Global Cancer Medicine and Partners In Health Rwanda. They applied Harvard frameworks in implementation science and health systems strengthening. As a fellow cancer survivor, Sonali is deeply grateful for the opportunity to co-design cancer care pathways grounded in community needs, learning alongside Kenyan cancer champions and advocates.

The Leo Project Team – with special recognition to Jess Danforth, Njeri Waweru, Paul Njogu, Asande Maoga, Joe Washington, Lucy Crawford, Alex Sandile, John Ndegwa, and all the staff driving this vital work in Laikipia County. Laikipia County Collaborative Partners – thank you for coming together to brainstorm and map patient journeys: Edwin Gitonga and Yvonne Muthumbi (Nanyuki Palliative Care Centre); Nancy Thamaini (Nanyuki Teaching & Referral County Hospital); Brian Mberia (Nanyuki Cancer Support Group); consulting oncologist Marek Ostrowski; and the many Community Health Promoters and Traditional Birth Companions who form the backbone of the local health system. Dana-Farber Center for Global Cancer Medicine – Dr. Temidayo Fadelu, Dr. Scott Triedman, and Alyson Bierling, RN, for oncology implementation expertise and guidance. Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (BCCOE) and Partners In Health Rwanda — the clinical and implementation teams for their mentorship and on-site support, with special thanks to Dr. Cyprien Shyirambere, Dr. Eulade Rugengamanzi, and Dr. Olivier Habimana for generously sharing their time and resources with The Leo Project. Partner Hospitals and Clinics – thank you for opening your doors and sharing knowledge, training, and patient navigation systems: Kenyatta National Hospital; Kenyatta University Teaching, Research & Referral Hospital; Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital; Faraja Cancer Support Trust; and AIC Kijabe Hospital. Renny Honda, my project partner at every step. Professor Rifat Atun, my academic advisor, who helped me define the scope and shape the direction of the project. Harvard faculty who provided mentorship along the way: Jocelyn Chu, William Bean, and Professor Michel Reich.

Sonali Verma’s experience as a cancer survivor revealed systemic gaps in care, inspiring her life-long commitment to designing human-centered systems, services, and technologies that address unmet needs in today’s healthcare systems. For seven years, she led user research projects at Google Health AI and Verily across six countries, guiding the design and deployment of AI-powered innovations in breast cancer, dermatology, pathology, maternal health, and ophthalmology. She collaborates with last-mile communities to co-design and scale AI and telemedicine tools that improve early detection. Trained at UC Berkeley and Harvard, Sonali’s mission is to advance global cancer care by ensuring health system innovations are built with, not just for, communities. After graduation, Sonali will join the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) as Senior Manager for AI Diagnostics, supporting governments in CHAI partner countries to design, implement, and scale AI-enabled screening and clinical decision-support programs. She will work closely with Ministries of Health, CHAI country teams, along with technology and community partners to co-design tools, manage delivery from concept to launch, and work towards adoption, capacity-building, and sustainable scale-up.

This award recognizes a student team or individual whose project in public health practice contributes to the improvement of health of a defined population and makes a significant contribution to the public health practice knowledge base.