About Us – Dicoco Tanzania

CORE VALUES

Compassion
Integrity
Inclusiveness
Community empowerment
Youth-centered approaches
Evidence-based messaging

Profile

Who We Are

Diabetes Consciousness for Community (DiCoCo) is Tanzanian grassroots, education, training and advocacy-based NGO dedicated to raising awareness, fighting stigma, and promoting healthy living among people living with diabetes, especially in rural and underserved communities.

Founded by Lucy Johnbosco, a Diabetes Advocate with over 20 years of lived experience with Type 1 Diabetes, DiCoCo functions as an initiative that bridges lived realities with community engagement and public education.

DiCoCo does not provide clinical care or distribute medicines. Instead, we focus exclusively on education, community mobilization, and storytelling as a means to fight misinformation and mental health challenges associated with diabetes.

We believe that accurate education, deep conversations, and empowering dialogue are the first line of therapy, especially for young people affected by diabetes.

Why Dicoco

DICOCO currently receives no donor funding, sponsorship, or internal financial support. Everything achieved so far has been through voluntary efforts, partnerships, and strategic use of minimal resources.

We believe that lack of funding should not stop meaningful work. With your support, we can transform how diabetes is understood and managed in Tanzania.

Fully registered and compliant NGO

Innovative use of storytelling and media

Transparent, dedicated, and driven by lived experience

Youth-centered, mental health-aware approach

Over 5 years of grassroots-level diabetes education

Deep community trust and cultural sensitivity

2025 PRIORITY PROGRAM: YOUTH, DIABETES AND MENTAL HEALTH

In 2025, DiCoCo is focusing its efforts on addressing the overlooked mental health needs of youth living with diabetes. This includes:

Safe space dialogues in schools and youth centers
Peer-to-peer support forums
Audio-visual content featuring lived experiences
Community-based campaigns targeting teachers, parents, and health workers

Currently, DiCoCo operates with no funding at all — neither internal nor external. We identify and implement activities that are low-cost but high-impact, focusing on areas we can reach with limited means.

This commitment proves that with proper support, DiCoCo can scale its operations and make a national impact.

We do not receive any donor funding, sponsorship, or internal financial support. Everything achieved so far has been through voluntary efforts, partnerships, and strategic use of minimal resources.

We act because we believe that meaningful change cannot wait for perfect conditions.

OUR MISSION

To educate, empower, and advocate for people living with diabetes through community engagement, storytelling, and low-cost outreach programs that foster understanding and mental well-being.

OUR VISION

To see a Tanzania where every person—regardless of background or location
—understands diabetes, lives free from stigma, and has the knowledge and emotional support to manage the condition with dignity.

OUR GOAL

To increase awareness, reduce stigma, and provide holistic support for mental health challenges impacting people living with diabetes, particularly children, youth, and their caregivers. We aim to ensure that no one faces the burden of diabetes alone, by building an ecosystem of knowledge, care, and empowerment.