Diana firmly believes that her life’s work is to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and layman’s understanding
When she started her diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics at the Kenya Medical Training College, Diana Heri was looking for a purpose. “I went into my Nutrition course without really knowing what I was doing but I was certain that I would figure it out,” she says.
Four years later after what she describes as a hectic period of ‘assignments, classes, presentations, clinical work, and assessments’, her path became clear. “I wanted to go out in the world and understand people and food better. I was hungry to learn more than what I was taught in class and to experiment. I also wanted to see if it actually works, and I wanted to build my own thing from scratch.”
With a solid foundation based on her coursework in clinical nutrition and 9 months of experience in a volunteer program, Diana knew she was ready for the next step.
She joined a local sports CBO, Kwale Sports Excellence, as a secretary and healthcare worker where she managed to get into the male-dominated field of sports nutrition and worked to make athletes understand the importance of nutrition in their sporting career and general life. Through the CBO, she also started to preach ‘the gospel of healthy habits and friendly foods’. She encouraged her local community to learn about food and its nutrients. She also taught them about the benefits of drinking water, water, walking in the sun, and taking in fresh air as often as they could.
Beyond nutrition and its link to fitness, Diana volunteers at the Diani Health Center in Ukunda. She participates in community outreach programs such as “mother-to-mother” peer group sessions which serve as a platform to educate mothers on a myriad of health-related topics, with a primary focus on nutrition and child welfare.
“When I first started as a volunteer, many mothers I spoke to viewed malnutrition as a curse or the result of the ‘evil eye’, ” she says. Diana then took it upon herself to took it upon herself to simplify complex concepts and dispel myths, making nutrition education accessible and relatable to all. She emphasized the importance of growth monitoring to advocating for vaccination and vitamin A supplementation.
Diana firmly believes that her life’s work is to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and layman’s understanding – a feat that she has and continues to accomplish despite being a fresh graduate.
In October 2023 Diana started her entrepreneurial journey with Heri Nutrition, a consulting practice where she works with clients on their health goals. Currently, she is the team nutritionist for the South Coast Pirates, Kwale County’s only rugby team, and has a roster of personal clients in the sports industry.
Fresh out of college, Diana is on a roll. Already, with the work she has been doing in her community and with Kwale Sports Excellence has gained press recognition, it’s only a matter of time before Diana becomes a pioneer in her field.
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