Over 730 organizations have already confirmed their participation in Teach to Reach 11, a peer learning platform, network, and community for health workers facilitated by the Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF).
This announcement came during TGLF’s first partnership briefing held on 16 October 2024.
Teach to Reach, which connects health professionals across borders, is expanding its focus on local partnerships for its upcoming 11th edition, scheduled for 5-6 December 2024.
Why does this matter?
The initiative’s reach is substantial. Teach to Reach 10, held in June 2024, attracted 21,398 participants from over 70 countries. Notably, 80% of participants were from district and facility levels.
Each participant is now being encouraged to involve their organization – and to invite staff, volunteers, and community members to join.
“I plan to involve women from every province. We made a small committee. So, our network is represented by each“, said Isabelle Monga, national president of RENAFER, an NGO based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What do organizational leaders say about Teach to Reach?
Here is what Amadou Gueye, president of the Malaria Youth Corps, said about his first time participating in Teach to Reach 10: “I was very impressed by the sharing and the results I saw there, especially the real data, and the fact that every time people take part afterwards, we tally it all up and give a report that’s really precise and clear.”
Watch the first experience-sharing session at Teach to Reach 10. Voir la séance en français…
Dr. Ornela Malembe, President of ONG SADF (Santé et Développement de la Femme et de l’Enfant) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared how previous Teach to Reach events influenced her work: “Before Teach to Reach, we did not know about Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS). With what we learned, we put in place activities to raise awareness among women.”
FGS is a neglected tropical disease that afflicts an estimated 56 million women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about FGS…
Vincent Kamuasha, Country Representative of United Front Against River Blindness (UFAR) in DRC, highlighted the practical impact: “At Teach to Reach, we exchanged with the national NTD programme. We approached the national program for the fight against HIV. And recently, we approached the national program for reproductive health and adolescents.”
Watch the Teach to Reach 10 session about NTDs. Voir la séance en français…
Teach to Reach aims to deepen engagement and impact by supporting organizational change. As Reda Sadki, co-founder of TGLF, explained, “It’s really about developing your organization: share your experience, increase visibility, and access opportunities.”
Organizations interested in becoming Teach to Reach partners are guided through the partnership application process.
There is no cost for participants or locally-led organizations, as global partners subsidize the programme.
What issues are these organizations about?
The organizations at Teach to Reach 11’s briefings mirror the complexity of global health.
They span from local community initiatives to national disease control programs, covering infectious diseases, health system strengthening, maternal and child health, youth empowerment, and community healthcare.
Environmental health and climate change impacts were represented, as were mental health, nutrition, and digital health solutions.
Organizations focusing on health equity, emergency response, and One Health approaches were also present.
This diverse representation highlights the interconnected nature of global health challenges and the need for collaborative, multidisciplinary solutions.
Teach to Reach emphasizes collaborative intelligence and active knowledge production. Participants are positioned as knowledge creators rather than passive recipients, reflecting a shift towards more inclusive global health practices.
As global health faces complex, interconnected challenges, Teach to Reach’s focus on peer learning to drive locally-led change offers a new approach to collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field.
Who actually attended the briefing?
Attendees spanned a wide spectrum of the health system, from community-based workers to national-level policymakers.
Government agencies were well-represented, including ministries of health, national immunization programs, and regional health departments from countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) formed a significant portion of attendees, ranging from local community groups to international non-profits.
A strong presence of district and facility-level health workers included nurses, community health workers, and local health facility managers.
International organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, and various UN agencies were also present, alongside research institutions and academic bodies.
The linguistic diversity was notable, with a balanced representation from both anglophone and francophone countries.
Strong participation was seen from nations such as Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Cameroon, among others.
Building on Teach to Reach 10
The partnership process was offered for the first time ahead of Teach to Reach 10 in June 2024. 240 organizations from 41 countries joined as local partners.
Watch the Leaders & Partners Forum at Teach to Reach 10. Voir le Forum des Leaders & Partenaires en français…
What came out of Teach to Reach 10?
Outputs from Teach to Reach 10 included almost 2,000 real-world stories and insights shared by participants.
These experiences are shared back with the community, creating a rich repository of practical knowledge.
99.7% of participants reported increased motivation and commitment to their work, and 97.8% stated they learned something new that changed their perspective.
Learn more
Listen to the Teach to Reach podcast:
- in English on RSS , Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or Amazon podcast services.
- En français sur les services de podcast par RSS, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, ou Amazon.
Are you a health professional? Join the Geneva Learning Foundation’s peer learning programme on climate change and health:
- In English: From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change https://www.learning.foundation/climate
- En français: De la communauté à la planète: Professionnels de la santé sur le front du climat https://www.learning.foundation/climate-fr
Is your organisation interested in learning from health workers? Learn more about becoming a Teach to Reach partner.