Your pain is real.
Severe period pain is not something you simply have to endure.
Severe period pain should not be ignored. If your period pain makes you miss school or work, keeps you from sleeping, affects your relationships, or makes everyday life difficult — you deserve to be heard. EndoPima helps you understand what you're experiencing, keep your health story together, and prepare your next step.
🌸 This is a calm, private space. Take your time — there is nothing scary here, and nothing is shared without your say-so.
You are not alone — this is not just you.
You are not overreacting.
Pain that disrupts your life deserves attention.
You do not have to prove that your pain is "bad enough" before asking for help.
This isn't about diagnosing anything. It is about being heard — and finding the right next step.
Everyone's path is different — this is just a direction, not a rule.
When pain starts taking over your life
If any of these sound familiar, you are not imagining things — and you are not alone.
If you read this and think, “This is what I’ve been experiencing” — that is exactly why this space exists.
These symptoms can have different causes. They do not automatically mean endometriosis. A healthcare professional can help assess what is happening — this list describes experiences, not a diagnosis.
Start by telling us what you've been experiencing. Then, step by step, we can look together at what might help.
About 3 minutes · private, stays on this device
You are not the only one.
We will not invent words for women and pretend they are real. Real, anonymised stories from Kenyan women — shared with consent — will appear here after community-based research.
- Everything you write stays on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere unless you switch cloud sync on — and it is off by default.
- No account, no name, no phone number asked for. You can come back anytime and continue your story.
- You can erase everything on this device with one tap, whenever you want.
The bigger picture, for context
Context is not the main story — you are. Sources: WHO (190M); EAMJ 2018, Kagia et al. (94% of 313 Kenyan adolescents); Ministry of Health CHP programme, 2024; multi-country diagnostic-delay studies (Kenyan data limited).
More about the idea — how the pieces fit
Each stage below is a real part of a woman's journey. The check is only the beginning: the idea is PIMA → CARE COMPLETED.
PIMA
Symptom check on a smartphone, a USSD-style flow or with a Community Health Promoter. Produces a care-priority indicator — not a diagnosis.
THIBITI
Next-step guidance: where to go, what to ask, what to bring. Clinical assessment and appropriate imaging come first — not surgery for everyone.
FANYA
Understand realistic costs, plan savings, navigate SHA where applicable, with a Dada Navigator by your side.
THIBITISHA
With consent, anonymised journeys grow the Endo Observatory — the evidence Kenyan policymakers do not yet have.
- We don't diagnose women through an app.
- We help women recognise symptoms, navigate to care, and keep their story together.
- And when they choose, we help build the evidence Kenya needs.
Myths & facts — said carefully
Plain-language, evidence-conscious answers.
FACT: Some menstrual pain is common, but severe or life-disrupting pain deserves medical attention.
FACT: Endometriosis can affect women regardless of income. In Kenya this myth has itself delayed diagnosis.
FACT: Pregnancy is not a cure for endometriosis. Symptoms may change but the disease persists.
FACT: Imaging has important limitations. A clinician determines what evaluation is appropriate.
FACT: This belief comes from a lack of research and access, not a lack of disease — and it has caused long diagnostic delays.
FACT: Pain that makes you miss school, work or sleep is a signal to be checked, not a strength to endure.
Why Kenya, why now — honestly
Endometriosis affects women globally. Kenyan evidence remains limited, care access is uneven, awareness is a challenge — and Kenya has large, under-used assets: a paid community-health workforce, growing digital-health infrastructure, mobile money that reaches almost every household, and existing organisations and clinicians already serving patients.
EndoPima is positioned as infrastructure that can connect and strengthen the existing ecosystem — not a replacement for the organisations already doing this work.
PROTOTYPE No partnerships are claimed. Listings below are "potential partners".
Kenyan assets this platform imagines using
- 107,000+ CHPs with eCHIS digitisation — a first-mile workforce.
- M-Pesa & ~42M smartphones — access and financing rails.
- SHA benefit covers some gynaecological procedures (coverage is not guaranteed).
- Ultrasound-first diagnosis is accepted in modern guidelines — county facilities already own ultrasound machines.
- Existing advocacy (e.g., Endo Sisters East Africa) and clinical societies (KOGS, KESES).
Potential partnership ecosystem
This is a concept. No organisation has formally partnered with EndoPima.
Project roadmap — honest status
Prototype
Self-contained demo of the product architecture — where we are.
Clinical co-design
Work with Kenyan clinicians and patient organisations to shape the screener.
County deployment
Small, supervised pilot in 1–2 counties with ethics approval.
Clinical validation
Prospective validation of the risk logic — not yet done.
More counties
If validation supports it.
Kenyan evidence base
A longitudinal Kenyan dataset and, later, an African endometriosis intelligence network.
Pima — symptom check
Let’s make sense of what you’re experiencing. About 3 minutes, simple questions, no medical words to decode — a Community Health Promoter can do it with you.
What this tool is — and is not
- Is: a guided symptom check that helps you organise what you are experiencing and think about whether medical assessment may be appropriate.
- Is not: a diagnosis, a test, or proof that you have (or don't have) endometriosis.
- A separate safety check is always analysed independently of the score.
- Your answers on this device are stored locally only — nothing is sent anywhere.
🌸 You can pause at any time and come back later — your answers will be waiting for you here, on this device. You can do this alone, or with someone you trust.
Pasipoti — Your story, in one place
You may have had to explain the same symptoms again and again. Pasipoti keeps your health story together — symptoms, impact, previous care, investigations — so you can take it with you when you seek care. It is your story, not a medical record, and it never replaces clinical notes.
DEMO Concept demonstrated with on-device storage. Record only what health workers actually told you — do not fabricate results. Patient-generated health summary — not a medical record.
My symptom timeline
Example: "Age 14 — severe period pain began". Add every milestone you remember.
Symptoms & impact — tap to mark what applies
These chips feed your doctor summary.
Impact on life
Previous care (facilities, dates, treatments, response)
Investigations so far
Record what was done and what the clinician told you — in your own words. No results are generated here.
Before you go
A few things worth noticing before your appointment — you don't have to have perfect answers.
- What symptoms bother you most?
- When did they begin? When are they worst?
- How do they affect school, work, sleep or relationships?
- What have you already tried, and what happened?
- What questions do you want to ask?
💛 Your story deserves to arrive with you. You shouldn't have to remember everything when you're sitting in front of a clinician — that is what this story is for.
Clinician handoff
Turn your passport + latest screening into a one-page, printable summary for a clinician. It clearly states it is patient-generated and not a diagnosis.
Find care — Where should I go next?
Real, verified facility information is not available yet — what you see below is demonstration content, so you can see how the idea would work. A real directory will be built with county health teams. What you can use today: the pathway, what to ask, and what to bring.
Your next step — where should I go?
Two questions only. Guidance is illustrative — a clinician makes the real decision.
The pathway, in detail — it is not a straight line for everyone
PIMA
Recognise symptoms; decide a priority.
Clinical assessment
A clinician listens, examines, decides. This is the entry point for almost everyone.
Imaging / tests
Ultrasound (often the first imaging), or other investigations the clinician considers.
Specialist assessment
Gynaecology or other specialist review — only if the clinician determines it's needed.
Treatment plan
Pain management, hormones, physiotherapy, or surgery for some — discussed with you.
Follow-up
Review, adjust, and keep the journey going.
Care directory DEMO DATA
DEMO Illustrative entries structured like a real directory would be. No live availability is shown.
Community support
Patient-led support exists in Kenya and is part of the ecosystem this platform imagines connecting to. Peer support is not medical care.
Example (potential partner): Endo Sisters East Africa Foundation — peer support, monthly meet-ups, school talks. Not a formal partnership — see "Potential partners".
Costs — plan and fund the journey
Worried about the cost of care? We know healthcare costs affect when and where someone seeks help. Fanya helps you estimate and plan — it is not a payment service, nothing here is verified pricing, and no money ever moves through this app.
My care cost — build your estimate ILLUSTRATIVE
Tick the categories that apply to your planned care step. Ranges vary by facility and level of care; a tariff (e.g. the published SHA schedule) is not the same as the final amount a patient pays.
Demonstration/illustrative estimates, not quotes. Ask for written prices at the facility. SHA coverage depends on eligibility, pre-authorisation and the official current benefit schedule.
PimaPocket — savings planner CONCEPT
A planning tool, not a financial product. EndoPima does not hold or move any money — and no M-Pesa transaction is implemented in this prototype.
Contribution scenarios
Future: Endo Care Fund FUTURE CONCEPT
A future concept for how support could be pooled. No funds are currently held or transferred by this prototype.
Kenya Endo Observatory FUTURE RESEARCH CONCEPT
How consented, anonymised data could eventually inform endometriosis care in Kenya: county symptom burden, diagnostic delay, referral bottlenecks, access and outcomes.
DEMO Demonstration data — not national prevalence estimates. This is a concept for researchers and policymakers, not part of the woman’s journey.
EndoPima care funnel DEMO
Every number below is fictional.Diagnostic journey & "care gap"
Patient-reported care timeline (illustrative). Not an officially validated diagnostic-delay index.
Age & symptom patterns DEMO
Age at first screening (demo)
Most common reported symptoms (demo, %)
School & work impact (demo, user-reported)
County equity map
Conceptual metrics. A trustworthy empty state is better than fake statistics — most cells intentionally say "Data not yet available". Any demo cell is clearly marked.
| County | Screening coverage | Referral access | Avg travel distance | Care completion | Waiting time |
|---|
Learn — "Pain Is Not Normal"
For students, teachers and parents. Learn, test yourself, play a scenario — never scary, never a diagnosis.
Plain-language videos are coming — captioned, no autoplay, light on data.
Three short videos are planned (60–90 seconds each, captioned). Until they are made, everything below is the text version — you never need a video to understand something important.
- What is endometriosis? — plain words, no frightening imagery. (Text: Lesson 1 below.)
- When period pain may deserve attention — what "disruptive" means. (Text: Lesson 2 below.)
- Preparing for your appointment — how Pasipoti helps you organise symptoms, previous care and questions. (Text: Pasipoti → Before you go.)
1 · What is endometriosis?
A chronic condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows outside the womb — most often in the pelvis. It can cause severe period pain, pain with sex or bowel movements, heavy bleeding, fatigue and can affect fertility. It is not contagious and not anyone's fault.
2 · Pain is not normal
Some period discomfort is common. But pain that makes you miss school, stops you sleeping, or that strong painkillers don't fix — that deserves attention. Severe or life-disrupting menstrual pain is a reason to talk to an adult and, if it continues, a clinician.
3 · When to seek help
If pain gets worse over months, happens between periods, hurts during sex or bowel movements, or comes with very heavy bleeding — talk to a trusted adult, school health staff or a Community Health Promoter. Getting checked early matters.
4 · Talking to an adult
Choose someone you trust: parent, aunt, teacher, school nurse. Say plainly: "My periods hurt so much that I miss school." You are not being dramatic. If the first person dismisses you, try another adult. Keep asking until you are heard.
5 · What it is not
A quiz or an app cannot tell you that you have endometriosis — only a clinician can. Endometriosis is one possible cause among others. Knowing about it is strength; self-diagnosis is not.
Questions students ask
"My cramps are really bad. Is that endometriosis?"
Not necessarily — but bad cramps that make you miss school, that painkillers don't fix, or that last beyond your period are worth checking with a clinician. A check is about getting answers, not about assuming a disease.
"Do I need surgery to know?"
Not always. A clinician decides what evaluation is appropriate — often starting with a conversation and sometimes an ultrasound. Surgery is not the first step for everyone.
"Pain runs in my family. Should I be worried?"
Family history is one thing a clinician may consider. It isn't a diagnosis; it's a reason to pay attention and discuss it with a health professional.
"Who can I talk to without shame?"
A trusted teacher, parent, school health staff or Community Health Promoter. Period pain is a health topic like any other. There is no shame in asking for help.
Jamii — the community layer
Three ways this platform could meet women where they are: low-bandwidth USSD-style access, Community Health Promoters, and peer navigation. (These are ecosystem ideas — you don’t need any of them to use EndoPima for yourself.)
Village Mode — low-bandwidth access PROTOTYPE SIMULATION
This simulates how EndoPima could work on a feature phone over USSD or an SMS-style menu. No real USSD shortcode or gateway is connected. Tap the numbers or type them below — just like pressing keys.
Why this matters
- ~30% of Kenyan handsets are still feature phones — and many smartphones connect intermittently.
- A USSD/SMS path means no app download, no data bundle, no smartphone.
- Every menu flows straight into the same care-navigation and consent logic as the app.
My Endo Journey
Your personal dashboard: where you are in the journey, what to do next, and everything kept together on this device.
Current stage
Journey shortcuts
My appointments DEMO
My referrals
How are you doing? PROTOTYPE
A quick check-in after a visit or treatment. Your answers stay on this device and power the "Are you stuck?" detection below.
Check-in history
Evidence, ethics & the future
A serious prototype understands its limitations. This is where we are honest about them.
Evidence & limitations
- This prototype is not a medical device and must never be used to diagnose, rule out, or treat any condition.
- The risk logic is prototype decision-support logic — not clinically validated. No claims of predictive accuracy are made.
- All statistics in the Observatory are fictional demonstration data, not Kenyan prevalence estimates.
- The care directory is not live; no availability or quality is implied. A real deployment needs a verified facility database.
- Future AI and biomarker concepts are research ideas, not available products.
- A real deployment requires clinical partners, clinical validation, ethics approval for research, and compliance with applicable Kenyan data-protection and health-information requirements.
- Real integrations (USSD, eCHIS, SHA, M-Pesa, hospital systems) require official authorisation and technical work — none are connected here.
Future Lab RESEARCH / FUTURE
Where advanced technology is honestly described as future work. None of this is available through EndoPima today.
AI-assisted ultrasound
Potential decision support for trained clinicians reading scans — never a replacement for clinical judgement.
Biomarker testing
Future blood / saliva / menstrual-fluid research. Requires lab infrastructure, validation and access pricing for LMICs.
Kenyan AI model
Requires ethically collected data, clinical validation on representative Kenyan populations, external validation and bias assessment.
Research registry CONCEPT
A future consent flow. In this prototype nothing leaves your device either way.
Saying no never affects any help you receive. Participation would be explained in full before any real collection, and you could withdraw at any time.
My data & consent
In this prototype, data is stored only in your browser. These controls show how consent would work in a real deployment.
What EndoPima would store- Symptom answers
- Care journey (appointments, referrals)
- Optional demographic information
- Consent choices
Withdrawal is always possible; research consent is never a condition for basic assistance.
Privacy principles
Designed for future compliance with applicable Kenyan data-protection and health-information requirements. No certifications or compliance statuses are claimed, because none have been implemented.
Architecture — backend-ready CONCEPT
—
- Offline-first: the prototype reads and writes on this device instantly — designed for intermittent connectivity and feature phones.
- Drop-in cloud sync: a Supabase schema (backend/supabase_schema.sql) and a no-SDK REST adapter (backend/adapter.example.js) are included. Paste your project URL + anon key into
SUPABASE_CONFIGat the top of the app script to switch cloud sync ON. - Nothing is sent until you do that. In demo mode data never leaves this device; and even with sync on, research consent remains optional.
Roadmap (again, honestly)
Now
Prototype demonstrating the architecture.
Next
Clinical co-design with Kenyan clinicians & patient organisations.
Pilot
Small supervised county deployment with ethics approval.
Validate
Prospective clinical validation of the risk logic.
Scale
Additional counties, if validation supports it.
Future
Kenyan longitudinal dataset → African endometriosis intelligence network.
None of the future phases have happened yet. This roadmap is a plan, not a record.