Information for Media & Journalists

The Western Heads East Project at Western University has provided the following Media & Publications Statement for use of its content in any:

  • Media communications
  • Official Western Heads East Partner Communications
  • Fundraising Publications

Media & Publications

Initiated as a collaborative intervention to help combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, the Western Heads East (WHE) has now grown to become a program that also enhances nutrition, maternal health, economic development, the empowerment of women and general community health and sustainable development. The program, within Western International, is an innovative and multidisciplinary initiative that engages students in applying pioneering research with a nutrition focus to help build immune response and improve the health of people living with AIDS and of the general population. Through the program, Western students, staff and faculty collaborate with East African partners to apply pioneering research with probiotic foods in order to address real problems for direct humanitarian benefit.        

The mission of Western Heads East is to encourage collaboration between Western staff, students, faculty and African partners using probiotic food to contribute to health and sustainable development. Largely through probiotic yoghurt social enterprises, the program is established in highly underserviced areas of Sub-Saharan Africa to address HIV/AIDS, health, empowerment of women, and economic development. The first site was initiated in Mwanza, Tanzania where more than 10 community kitchens now operate. Western Heads East continues to work with local partners to establish probiotic yoghurt kitchens in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Malawi. Since the project began, more than 70 student interns and African partners have conducted research, examined health benefits, quality control, etc., to continue improving the social enterprises.

Our local partners are Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute. Special recognition goes to Western's Housing Department for initiating and supporting this innovative program for many years. Of course, the program would not be possible without the ongoing support of the Western and London communities.

Media Contact

Kris Dundas
Communications Officer
Western International
519-661-2111 ext. 81064
kdundas2@uwo.ca