In this guest blog, Melanie Coutinho – CEO & Co-Founder of Zzjimi Limited – shares the powerful personal experiences that led her to confront one of today’s most hidden wellbeing challenges: chronic loneliness. Drawing on decades in healthcare, education and social care, Melanie explores how human connection can transform lives and how technology, when built with empathy, can help people find their way back to belonging.
Picture this: You’re the only human contact someone has all week. That was the reality I faced in my osteopathic clinic, on many occasions treating patients whose physical symptoms told stories of emotional isolation. Their unhappiness and helplessness were written in their bodies. I realised I wasn’t just treating backs and necks – I was treating broken spirits.
My role as Principal of Osteopathic schools emphasised it, seeing students facing separation from familiarity, friends or family as they came to a new city to study.
This revelation sparked the creation of Zzjimi.com (pronounced “Shimmy”), a revolutionary free platform that’s transforming how we tackle one of society’s most devastating yet invisible epidemics: chronic loneliness and social isolation.
My team and I bring over 60 years of collective experience from healthcare, social care, education, and charity work. It was my personal encounters with isolation – staying alone in hotel rooms while assessing osteopathic schools – that truly opened my eyes. Even though my loneliness was temporary, the impact was profound – .giving me a glimpse into what millions experience daily.
The Shocking Truth About Loneliness
This might surprise you: today, people aged 16-24 are twice as likely to experience loneliness as those over 70. We’re not talking about occasional solitude – chronic loneliness is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes daily or living with obesity. It triggers anxiety, sleep disorders, elevated stress and dramatically increases risks of stroke, dementia, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Loneliness doesn’t follow a calendar. While TV ads remind us about isolation during Christmas and winter months, this silent epidemic strikes anyone, anytime. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution – everyone’s story is different.
A Different Kind of Solution
Unlike traditional activity listing sites, Zzjimi was designed with profound empathy at its core. we recognise that finding the right activity can be life-changing – but only if people actually discover opportunities that match their capabilities and comfort levels.
We want to empower people, not overwhelm them. Someone might scroll past the perfect opportunity because it doesn’t immediately seem accessible to them or they are disillusioned by their searching.
Enter Zzjimi’s game-changing features:
- Personalized Wishlists: Users create tailored lists matching their interests and abilities
- 24/7 searching Algorithm: Never miss an opportunity – the Wishlist algorithm searches continuously, alerting users to opportunities which may have been listed even after they’ve left the site
- Smart Dashboard: Activities are filtered to match individual needs and capabilities.
The platform serves as a one-stop hub where charities, community organisations and volunteer groups can list activities, events and opportunities. While designed especially for those experiencing social isolation, Zzjimi welcomes anyone seeking meaningful connections, those wishing to improve their physical or mental health and wellbeing or who’ve simply had a dream to experience something new.
The Ripple Effect of Giving Back
The Zzjimi Team have discovered something powerful through our work with organisations like the Jo Cox Foundation: helping others provides a gentle pathway back to social inclusion. When we volunteer or fundraise, we refocus our thoughts beyond our own struggles. It’s transformative for both giver and receiver.
Many charities, especially smaller, lesser-known organisations – desperately need volunteers and members. Zzjimi bridges this gap, creating meaningful matches that benefit entire communities.
Building Momentum
Though relatively new and currently focusing on South England, Zzjimi is rapidly expanding with Parliamentary support, backing their mission. The team works in genuine partnership with organisations like Network of Wellbeing (NOW), offering an additional pathway for individuals to discover life-changing opportunities. We believe our proposed link with NOW will be an exciting opportunity for both organisations and the NOW following.
At Zzjimi, we’re not just listing activities. We’re creating possibilities for human connection, purpose and hope. Every match between a person and an opportunity could be the one that transforms a life.
In a world where loneliness has reached epidemic proportions, Zzjimi represents something revolutionary: technology with heart, innovation with empathy and solutions that remember the human behind every search.
Ready to shimmy toward connection? Visit Zzjimi.com and discover how small steps can lead to transformative journeys: