To help Kenya fight future pandemics, we’re making big investments in big ideas

There are people all over Kenya planting seeds for innovative, robust health promotion.

And there are people all over the world with resources to help these ideas flourish.

What if we worked together to strengthen Kenya’s health system at the county level?

The Call For Change seeks to match game-changing, local ideas with world-class mentors and investors to help bring them to life.

There is over $350,000 USD to fund ideas that meet the following criteria.

Focus area

We’re searching for ideas that align with one or more of our four focus areas:

  • Building skills and capacity for Health Promotion at the county level

  • Health service design with a focus on health worker motivation

  • Data collection and analysis

  • Health system coordination that builds from the county up

  • Instead of investing in solutions that could increase vaccination against a single virus, we found that investments in the health system overall could better prepare Kenyans for the next pandemic. Through our research, and input from experts in country, we wanted to focus on strengthening these four areas that could greatly increase pandemic preparedness. To learn more about the research that lead us here, read our report.

Location

Serve one or more of the following counties:

  • Baringo

  • Isiolo

  • Kitui

  • Lamu

  • Marsabit

  • Tana River

  • Vihiga

  • Wajir

  • In consultation with the Ministry of Health, we’ve chosen these eight counties based on their high COVID-19 vaccine demand challenges, high epidemiological risk for COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks, low COVID-19 and routine immunisation vaccination rates, and limited access to external donor funding. Due to these factors, investments in these eight counties can yield high impact. To learn more about the research that lead us here, read our report.

Feasibility

Selected projects must be ready to implement by December 2022.

Grant overview:

Committed amount: $350,000+ USD

Location: Kenya

Counties: Baringo, Isiolo, Kitui, Lamu, Marsabit, Tana River, Vihiga, Wajir

Grants awarded by: December 2022

Our Values

We want to push boundaries, not bureaucracy. We want to keep this process light, enjoyable, and informative for all. We will work hard to ensure learning, coaching and networking are emphasised at every step, so everyone walks away with something.

We pledge to:

Demonstrate a model of county-led leadership for health promotion and preparedness response strengthening

Unearth new partners or organisations that can strengthen county-level skills and capacity

Highlight excellent ideas and willing partners

Test impactful interventions to increase demand for health services for potential scale-up

Foster connection between organisations, donors, and government, private sector and community-based organisations

Ensure value is added at each stage; for example, through linking applicants to expert coaches to build capacity

Spread the funding across several ideas, not just one

Create a dynamic, fun and engaging process where everyone benefits

Our Story

At the start of 2022, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank asked us to identify the best investments to increase demand for COVID-19 vaccines in Kenya. After analysing all the available data, engaging with over 100 stakeholders, and going to Kenya to speak directly with county-level representatives, we learned a lot about the challenges to implementing national COVID vaccination policies across a diverse nation such as Kenya.

Even with COVID-19 vaccination fading as a priority, the challenges brought on by the pandemic are still present. 

By funding ideas that improve pandemic preparedness, we not only keep people safe from COVID-19 but also leverage the lessons learned from this response to strengthen Kenya's ability to lead the way in fighting future outbreaks and epidemics. 

Want to dive deeper?

Read all about the research that lead us here.