On September 26, 2025, the SDGforHer team, in partnership with the Lekan Bakare Foundation, set out on a 25-minute boat ride to Nanti, a small riverine community in Apapa, Lagos. Nanti is a low-income fishing settlement where access to basic healthcare is a major challenge, with the nearest health center is nearly two hours away. Our mission was simple but urgent: bring healthcare closer to women who need it most. This time, we focused on one of Nigeria’s most silent yet deadly health issues, hypertension.

We started the day with introductions and conversations. Using simple Pidgin English, our lead doctor, Dr. Chiagoziem Onyema, spoke to the community women about the dangers of high blood pressure, diabetes and how small changes in daily habits can save lives. It wasn’t a lecture, it was an honest chat that broke myths, challenged harmful cultural practices and opened the door to trust. Each women had her weight check, BP check, Blood sugar check and a one-on-one consultation with a doctor.

In total, 76 community women (mostly between 35 –70 years old) had their blood pressure and blood sugar checked. The results were eye-opening. Many had dangerously high blood pressure levels, with two women in hypertensive crisis needing urgent referral. A few had elevated blood sugar levels and several admitted to practices like taking snuff or drinking alcohol “for strength”, habits that put their health at even greater risk.

But here’s where hope came in. After each screening, we sat one-on-one with women, answering questions, correcting misconceptions and sharing lifestyle tips that were practical for their everyday reality, from reducing salt to sticking to prescribed medication. And because health doesn’t end when the volunteers leave, we gave out free digital blood pressure monitors so families can check and track their numbers right at home. All our beneficiaries were thought how to use the blood pressure machine, given a logbook to fill their daily records and also sensitised on the normal blood pressure range.

The smiles when we handed over those devices said it all: healthcare is not only about hospitals, it’s about empowerment. This outreach reminded us that change starts with awareness, grows with access and lasts when communities are given the tools to take charge of their own health.

We didn’t just leave Nanti Community with numbers and charts, we left with stories of resilience, hope and a stronger need to keep showing up as an organisation. This outreach reminded us why our work matters and why we must return with even more impactful interventions.

We are deeply grateful to our partner, the Lekan Bakare Foundation, for opening the doors to this community, and to our incredible team, donors and volunteers whose unwavering support makes our mission possible. Together, we are proving that change is possible, one community at a time.