CategoriesMeet the Team Edition Article

Meet ‘David’

‘Meet the Team Edition’ is a new series where you get to know our WACI Health Team much better. This month we will be focusing on David Kabera, the Policy and Advocacy Officer at WACI Health. 

Question: What made you interested in advocacy and how long have you worked in this field?

Answer:
I’ve been in advocacy for five years now, starting in 2020. My interest came from my background in financial engineering—I initially thought I’d work on financial solutions, but I quickly realized the same skills could drive bigger change in health advocacy. The combination of impact and growth drew me in, and it’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey ever since.

Question: What has your experience been at WACI and what are your key takeaways?

Answer:

It’s been an incredible journey. Taking on new and challenging roles has helped me grow both professionally and personally. My key takeaways include the importance of personal character and leadership, and bringing these to the teams and partnerships I work with.

Question: What advice would you give to Africans looking to strengthen their advocacy and pushing for health for all?

Answer:

I’d encourage them to:

  1. • Build evidence-based campaigns to persuade decision-makers effectively.
  2. • Forge strategic partnerships to leverage diverse networks, skills, and knowledge.
  3. • Understand your community’s needs and context within broader policy landscapes to amplify their voices at decision-making tables.

Question: What do you think is the most critical issue facing the communities we serve, and how are we addressing it at WACI Health?

Answer:

The critical issue is resources for health care—both their availability and effective deployment. Vulnerable populations still struggle to access quality healthcare. WACI Health advocates for increased and effective distribution of resources and inclusive policies that prioritize marginalized communities to ensure everyone in Africa can access quality services.

Question: What upcoming project or area of work are you excited about, and why?

Answer:

I’m especially excited about the upcoming Global Fund replenishment year—it’s a full advocacy cycle where I can learn, grow, and make a real impact alongside the GFAN Africa team. It’s not just about the mechanics of funding but about ensuring these resources reach the people who need them most.

Question: One interesting/ unique thing you love doing.

Answer:

Music is my go-to for creativity—I play the guitar, and it’s amazing how a jam session can clear my mind and spark new ideas.

Question: Best song you’re currently listening to?

Answer:

Nyashinski’s GOAT

 

CategoriesMeet the Team Edition Article

Meet ‘Joyce’

‘Meet the Team Edition’ is a new series where you get to know our WACI Health Team much better. This month we will be focusing on Joyce Ng’ang’a, the Senior Policy Advisor at WACI Health. She is a senior WACI Health representative to high profile policymakers, practitioners, think-tanks, academic partners, the media and the public.

Question: What made you interested in advocacy and how long have you worked in this field?

Answer:
With 8 years at WACI Health and 17 years in advocacy overall, my career has transitioned from a background in nursing and health systems management to policy advocacy. My passion for policy advocacy stems from the significant impact it has on shaping global policies, which continually fuels my dedication and interest in this field.

Question: What has your experience been at WACI and what are your key takeaways?

Answer:

Over the past eight years at WACI Health, I’ve had an enriching experience that has significantly shaped my personal and professional growth. I’ve acquired valuable skills such as policy analysis, advocacy, and gained exposure to global health policymaking and fundraising processes. Networking has also been a key part of this journey. The skills I’ve developed in advocacy have fostered a mindset that believes “everything is achievable.”

To achieve success, it’s essential to start with a clear end goal. If you fall short, it’s important to revisit and adjust your strategy. Success often comes through careful planning, involving the right stakeholders, and engaging the right people and processes. Even when outcomes don’t align with expectations, failure isn’t a loss but rather a valuable learning opportunity.

Question: What advice would you give to Africans looking to strengthen their advocacy and pushing for health for all?

Answer:

Collaboration is essential for success in this sector. To see results, you must work with others, strategize together, and leverage skills from various players and sectors. Timely planning is crucial, as processes like Universal Health Coverage (UHC) follow strict timelines, and there are related global, regional, and country-level processes to consider.

A shift in mindset is also necessary—Africa is often perceived as poor and dependent on external support, but it is rich in resources. These resources must be unlocked and directed towards important causes like HIV prevention. Supporting drug manufacturing within Africa is vital, as not all countries have the capacity to do so.

Question: What do you think is the most critical issue facing the communities we serve, and how are we addressing it at WACI Health?

Answer:

One of the greatest challenges communities face is being consistently overlooked in ongoing processes and planning, resulting in them being placed last. At WACI Health, our advocacy centers on equity, ensuring that everyone receives the care or treatment they need in an equitable manner. We emphasize that communities must be prioritized first. They have the capacity to design interventions that work for them, leading to impactful results. By placing communities at the forefront, we can use resources and time more effectively, focusing on high-impact interventions created by the communities themselves.

Additionally, communities receive minimal resources. One of WACI Health’s key advocacy areas is ensuring that funding directed toward countries significantly reaches communities. We also advocate for preventive and promotive care as part of primary healthcare, with communities leading the way in prevention efforts. Prioritizing those most affected by or living with particular conditions is essential, and we have data showing which communities have been left behind.

For example, rising HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and gender-based violence disproportionately affect adolescent girls and young women. Targeted interventions are necessary for these groups. Moreover, community-led monitoring, where communities collect and analyze their own data, is critical. This data must be considered in decision-making processes to ensure no one is left behind.

Question: What upcoming project or area of work are you excited about, and why?

Answer:

At WACI Health, we are engaged in several exciting and impactful programs. Firstly, the Bridge for Health project integrates sexual reproductive health, HIV prevention and treatment, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with a focus on sustainability beyond donor funding. The goal is to ensure that by 2030, countries can sustain their health systems domestically, even without external financial support.

Secondly, in HIV prevention, new tools like the LEN injection, Dapivirine vaginal ring, and Cabotegravir (CAB LA) injections are now available, offering more options beyond oral PrEP. We advocate for providing communities with a range of choices, allowing them to select what works best for them at different stages in life. A dual prevention pill for both pregnancy and HIV prevention is also on the horizon, which will be a significant breakthrough alongside existing methods like condoms.

Thirdly, our advocacy for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has gained momentum recently, and we are optimistic that it will lead to critical solutions in this area. Lastly, we are excited to advocate for local manufacturing in Africa.

Question: One interesting/ unique thing you love doing.

Answer:

I enjoy taking long drives while listening to music as a way to clear my mind.

Question: Best song you’re currently listening to?

Answer:

I enjoy R&B music from the 80s and 90s, and I am currently listening to “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston.

 

CategoriesMeet the Team Edition Article

Meet ‘Gloria’

‘Meet the Team Edition’ is a new series where you get to know our WACI Health Team much better. This month we will be focusing on Gloria Mululu, the Programs Officer at WACI Health. She is an experienced Public and Occupational Health advocate.

Question: What made you interested in advocacy and how long have you worked in this field?

Answer:
I have always had a passion for working with people but could not figure out how to channel it. When I was younger, I dreamed of being in the medical field, either as a nurse or a doctor; however, I didn’t make it to medical school. The closest I got to my ambitions was through my undergraduate studies in social work and psychology. I then pursued a Master’s in Public Health, which allowed me to enter the advocacy space.

Question: What has your experience been at WACI and what are your key takeaways?

Answer:

Working at WACI Health has been an incredibly educational experience. The organization continues to give me the runway to learn and numerous opportunities to constantly sharpen my advocacy skills. I recently chaired the Regional Adolescent Health Indaba (RAHI) Conference 2024, which was a successful and humbling experience in my advocacy career, as it was the first conference I chaired. In addition, the opportunity to work from home enables me to deliver quality work but at the same time, I am able to be present in my young daughters’ lives as I journey with them as they grow.

Question: What advice would you give to Africans looking to strengthen their advocacy and pushing for health for all?

Answer:

Foremost, Africans need to speak up. We are not in the era where we don’t care what happens in our health facilities and choose to ignore substandard delivery of services that we outrightly deserve. Being a Kenyan, I have observed my fellow country people being very bold at speaking out on matters that concern them, which is a key lesson others should note. I would encourage us all to continue speaking up, especially in the right places, not only in the service provision levels but also in meetings where donors, partners, and other key health stakeholders are present in order to make the message effective and have a bigger impact.

Question: What challenges have you faced and how have they shaped you?

Answer:

I wouldn’t call it a challenge but rather an technical obstacle that I overcame. In the advocacy space, it’s crucial to stay updated on global and regional conversations. This requires a lot of reading and engagement to fully grasp concepts and navigate the work more effectively and efficiently. My incredible colleague, Joyce Ng’ang’a, frequently shares valuable materials with me. Additionally, my continuous exposure to the various lines of work at WACI Health, combined with my steady engagement and inquisitive nature, enables me to quickly understand and contribute meaningfully.

Question: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Answer:

To finally graduate from my Master’s program that I have been pursuing has been a long-awaited achievement. My passion and joy come from being in spaces where I have little prior knowledge, as I love the challenge of satisfying my hunger for learning and constantly acquiring new knowledge. I am confident that I will find myself in academia. While I am unsure of when, how, or which program I will pursue next, I know it will be a degree that I will actively apply and that will play a significant role in shaping my career path.

Question: One interesting/ unique thing you love doing.

Answer:

I really love cooking, even though there have been times when I get the recipe wrong and the meal doesn’t turn out as expected. Still, I always go back to the drawing board and keep trying until I get it right. This process is especially meaningful to me because I do it with my daughter, making it a cherished bonding experience that I hold dear.

Question: Best song you’re currently listening to?

Answer:

I have two songs and one artist that I really enjoy. The first is ‘Kana Ndanyura’ by Killer T, a Zimbabwean artist. I came across this catchy song at the RAHI 2024 conference – it was heartwarming to see young people dancing to it and adopting it as the conference’s theme song. The second song is ‘Nikukonde’ by Ty2, a Zambian artist. Lastly, I love the music of a Kenyan local artist named Njerae.

 

CategoriesMeet the Team Edition Article

Meet ‘Nombasa’

‘Meet the Team Edition’ is a new series where you get to know our WACI Health Team much better. This month we will be focusing on Nombasa Gxuluwe, the Programs Manager at WACI Health. She is a Health and Human Rights activist with extensive experience in campaigning, lobbying and advocacy.

Question: What made you interested in advocacy and how long have you worked in this field?

Answer:
It was a mere coincidence – during the period I had just completed my university education and was searching for work, I attended HIV Prevention workshops in my area, courtesy of my mother who happened to be a healthcare worker and facilitator of these workshops. I became passionate when I got to better understand the challenges South Africa was facing in regards to HIV/AIDS then and the scarcity of access to prevention measures as opposed to today. This became my entry into advocacy. I then began exploring other avenues as I wanted to be the change I wanted to see.

Question: What has your experience been at WACI and what are your key takeaways?

Answer:

It has been a wonderful experience. WACI Health has taken my work to new heights. I have been able to broaden my scope from local advocacy in South Africa to regional advocacy in Africa. I have come to realise that health challenges in Africa are quite similar and that we need to collectively put forward tremendous efforts in addressing these recurrent challenges by coming up with proper solutions. In addition, WACI Health is women-led, which is quite encouraging to me – seeing women in our society playing a big role in agitating for better healthcare in our continent.

Question: What advice would you give to Africans looking to strengthen their advocacy and pushing for health for all?

Answer:

First is to reduce the ignorance many of us have in regards to healthcare in Africa, so that there are many Africans understanding and tackling challenges affecting health in Africa. Mobilising Africans and informing them on the depth of the challenges we are currently facing and the cause of inaction would, in my opinion, grow the number of passionate and self driven Africans who would join the advocacy space and agitate for better healthcare services for their people.

Question: What challenges have you faced and how have they shaped you?

Answer:

Working with people with different backgrounds and beliefs is quite a challenge. It is important to always have alternative ideas and strategies in tackling challenges and delivery of objectives. Having an open mind and understanding people’s diversity helps me strategise and properly plan for myself. This helps diversify my approach in order to achieve my set goals and the goals of WACI Health.

Question: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Answer:

The biggest chunk of my work and passion is towards protecting human rights. My heart bleeds seeing what is currently happening in Africa and the passing of draconian laws. My hope is that in the next five years, we would manage to mobilise champions and voices that can talk more sense to power, and ensure people’s rights are protected and promoted in order for them to live freely and enjoy their freedom. On top of that, we must build a second layer of leadership by taking our youth to the table and ensuring that we have diverse approaches in tackling Africa’s healthcare problems.

Question: One interesting/ unique thing you love doing.

Answer:

I really love organising social gatherings that involve my family and friends. I ensure everything is in order and flows seamlessly as the event takes place.

Question: Best song you’re currently listening to?

Answer:

I currently love listening to Molo Sisi by our local artist, Mandisi Dyantis.