South African startup Eden AI, an AI company dedicated to building healthcare solutions tailored to African contexts, has launched BlossomCare, a confidential, AI-powered mental health companion designed for stigmatised women, such as sex workers and pregnant teens.
Founded in 2021, Eden AI is an AI consulting company that aims to empower people and create impactful products that use AI to improve the quality of life for individuals, businesses and societies at large.
The company provides services in data science and analytics, deep learning, data engineering, conversational AI, machine learning and computer vision. Yet what began as a small AI consultation company has, according to founder Oluwabamigbe Oni, evolved into a platform delivering practical health-focused technology across Africa.
“From collaborations focused on AI-powered maternal health tools to developing mental health support platforms for vulnerable women, Eden AI has continually taken on projects that blend innovation with social good,” Oni said.
“The company’s expanding portfolio includes solutions like real-time consultation support for healthcare workers, which reflects its forward-looking vision. This sustained momentum, underpinned by strategic partnerships and grant applications, signals Eden AI’s evolution into a key player in Africa’s AI-for-impact ecosystem.”
All this has led the startup to launch BlossomCare, a confidential, AI-powered mental health companion designed for stigmatised women in Africa, particularly sex workers and pregnant teens. It was developed in collaboration with Blossom Girls Outreach Foundation (BGOF), an award-winning non-profit that supports and empowers sex workers across Africa.
“In Africa, vulnerable women face stigma and inadequate mental health resources. While 86 per cent of women own mobile phones, few digital mental health services are built with their needs in mind. BlossomCare fills this gap by combining AI, multilingual support, and community-based outreach to ensure access, privacy, and dignity in care,” Oni said.
BlossomCare offers 24/7 emotional support via WhatsApp, in English, Yoruba, or Pidgin; personalised referrals to trusted psychologists, peer groups, and legal aid; and easy escalation to in-person care for high-risk or complex situations. The platform blends multilingual large language models (LLMs) with on-the-ground support networks, making care accessible, private, and stigma-free for vulnerable women.
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