FEATURED: Global Health Corps Recognized for Efforts to Build Health Leadership Pipeline in Rwanda
Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Global Health Corps has proudly received support from U.S. philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to advance its mission to build a diverse network of equity-driven emerging leaders in Rwanda and beyond. The funding comes at a pivotal time as GHC leaders around the world continue to address the profound effects of COVID-19 on health and wellbeing in their communities. 

The potential of leadership for long-term, systems-level change has been largely overlooked as the global health sector to date has oriented around solving urgent problems through disease-focused siloes. But MacKenzie Scott has made a bold commitment to unleashing that potential. 

Global Health Corps (GHC), a leadership accelerator, has recruited and trained 108 leaders in Rwanda since 2009. Through a highly selective process in which just 2-3% of applicants are accepted, GHC recruits and places talented young professionals to fill critical non-clinical roles within 30 institutions including the Ministry of Health, the Rwanda Biomedical Center, MASS Design Group, Partners In Health, and others. The 13-month fellowship program is a catalyst for rising leaders that provides access to frontline work experience, bespoke leadership training, coaching and mentorship, and integration into GHC’s global network. 

"Global Health Corps exists to close the gap between millions of people dying from preventable causes and talented young people looking to change that. With this transformative gift, we’ll continue to seed global health with strong, diverse talent,” said GHC CEO Heather Anderson

Beyond the fellowship, GHC alumni work at 240+ organizations across more than 45 countries, with 87% retained in the health and social impact field. While women hold less than 25% of top leadership roles in global health, 67% of GHC alumni are women. GHC leaders remain engaged with the network, accessing ongoing world class training, coaching, and mentorship programs that sharpen their ability to drive systems change, advance in their careers, and collaborate for greater impact. As they continue to gain influence and mobilize others beyond the immediate GHC community, their impact generates a ripple effect across health ecosystems. 

"As a nation, Rwanda has worked hard to transform our health systems and expand access to health coverage to even the most marginalized since the 1994 genocide. GHC fellows and alumni have played key roles in that progress since 2012. With this transformative gift, their impact and reach will expand which means more lives saved and improved for generations to come,” shared Jean René Shema, GHC’s Director of Strategic Partnerships & Rwanda Country Director.

The official announcement can be found at https://ghcorps.org/catalyticgift/.

Applications are now open for GHC’s 2022-2023 fellowship cohort, including 16 roles in Rwanda. Visit ghcorps.org for more information and to apply.

The next cycle of applications for GHC fellow placement organizations will likely open in August 2022. 

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development accelerator committed to mobilizing a generation of diverse leaders to collectively transform health systems. Since 2009, GHC has recruited and trained a network of 1,100+ emerging leaders who are united by the belief that health is a human right.