Cyprian Masvikeni Moves Shanduko AI from Idea to Active Use

MSc fellow Cyprian Masvikeni is actively testing and refining a homegrown AI solution designed to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information for young people in Zimbabwe. One year ago, he presented the idea for a WhatsApp-based chatbot at the AI Health Innovation Workshop at the University of Zimbabwe, held in partnership with Imperial College London. Since then, the focus has been on building, deploying, and learning from real-world use.

The result is Shanduko AI, a chatbot now live on WhatsApp that provides free, anonymous access to sexual and reproductive health information. It requires no downloads, no sign-up, and no cost—making it accessible to users who need privacy and low-barrier access to reliable information.

Current work is focused on: Improving the accuracy and consistency of responses Expanding language capabilities to support Shona and Ndebele Learning from user interactions to refine the experience.

Exploring pathways for integration and scale through engagement with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and other stakeholders.

The project is also open source, supporting transparency and collaborative development as it evolves. Shanduko—meaning change—reflects both the purpose of the tool and the process behind it. The work is ongoing, grounded in real-world use, and focused on building a solution that can scale responsibly.

Access Shanduko AI: wa.me/263714717274

Open source: https://lnkd.in/dJJy75z