Endurance: Approach with Intention

The challenges in 2020 reminded us that unity cultivates success. Returning from Peace Corps Madagascar, moving to a new city, and starting a new job – while each daunting on their own – seemed manageable with enough preparation. But like the rest of the world, I did not expect the unprecedented times that the coronavirus unleashed. 2020 tested our ability to endure and adapt – both as individuals and as communities, but for me and perhaps for others, 2020 exercised what I understand to be the key to endurance – approach with intention.

Joining TechChange was a light in the darkness of 2020, as it allowed me to employ action with purpose and recognize that though apart physically, communities can still flourish. The emphasis TechChange puts on nurturing meaningful relationships inspires me to emulate deliberate interactions with those around me. I remain thoughtful about the development and improvement of partnerships through growth and expansion, as it is the core of how TechChange conducts work. From bi-weekly game nights and annual Company Retreats to tailoring our cognitive coaching skills and building goal-setting frameworks – connection is at the forefront of our practice.

This new, virtual environment presented ambiguity in how courses – typically developed for in-person delivery – would fit within the constraints of our pandemic world. How would we ensure optimal user experience and retention? Connections, collaboration, and creativity forged together courses to achieve their desired impact. Flexibility and intention accomplished these goals – building a foundation for trust, alignment, and confidence from partners. In particular, project success at TechChange showcases how intentional communication (such as kick-off meetings and ideation workshops) builds not only trust but new opportunities for expansion and growth.

In 2020, I supported projects that built the capacity to mobilize community health resources, empower and strengthen health systems, improve health management, and foster collaboration and coordination to promote improved changes in health policies. All while bringing together global communities virtually, providing a space for learning, knowledge, and curiosity to prosper. Scroll to the bottom to learn more about some of the projects from 2020!

The paradox of 2020 was how we remained connected while seemingly apart. By approaching interactions with intention, we adapted, we innovated, and most importantly – we endured. If any silver linings result from this pandemic, it is that we will no longer take for granted the connections we share with others and go to new lengths to continue to develop them.

Check out Courses from 2020 below!

Financing Alliance for Health and The Community Health Academy, Last Mile Health

• Financing Community Health Programs for Scale and Sustainability [Self-paced] course series: A seven-course track series on health financing that targets individuals working in government, NGOs, academia, or other institutions to design, scale, and/or sustain strong community health systems- focusing on learners in LMICs. This course series provides an in-depth analysis of the financing value chain needed to understand resource needs as well as to mobilize resources for community health. The courses are entirely self-paced and were developed through the collaboration with Financing Alliance for Health (FAH), The Community Health Academy (CHA)- Last Mile Health (LMH). Development also included leading stakeholders within Ministries of Health (MOH), Ministries of Finance (MOF), global health institutions, private sector organizations, and academia, and the expertise of content delivery and refinement by TechChange. The courses are offered predominantly in English, though some content has been translated and is offered in French. This course series launched on October 20, 2020.

• Financing Community Health Programs for Scale and Sustainability [Guided Journey] course series: A seven-course track series on health financing that targets individuals working in government, NGOs, academia, or other institutions to design, scale, and/or sustain strong community health systems- focusing on learners in LMICs. This course series provides an in-depth analysis of the financing value chain needed to understand resource needs as well as to mobilize resources for community health.  Courses were developed through the collaboration with Financing Alliance for Health (FAH), The Community Health Academy (CHA)- Last Mile Health (LMH), subject matter field experts (SMEs), and the expertise of content delivery and refinement by TechChange. The courses offer a blend of self-paced and facilitated learning, with up to 2-3 hours per week of live-events that occur on the course platform. This provides the learner the opportunity to connect with their global peers, SMEs, and course facilitators to further enhance their learner and retention of course content. The courses are offered predominantly in English, though some content has been translated and is offered in French. This course series will launch on January 11, 2021, until April 4, 2021. The cohort will be available to the first 150 learners around the world who enroll. 

Primary Care Development Corporation

• Small Practice Management Essentials course series: This is a five-course series that covers a variety of topics that relate to improving small primary care practice management essentials in related workforces. The courses are a blend of both self-paced and facilitated learning and were designed through the collaboration of Primary Care Development Corporation officials and TechChange. These courses are offered in English with 100% of learners based in the United States. The course series launched on September 23, 2020, and will continue to be delivered to two pilot cohorts (46 total cohort count) until December 31, 2020. Next year, this partnership is expanding to 

Chemonics

• Global Health Supply Chain Technical Assistance Francophone Task Order course: This course aims to strengthen supply chain systems in African Francophone countries and Haiti to ensure timely access to quality essential health products and services, improve in-country and regional collaboration and coordination, and support the Global Health Security Agenda. The course was developed in collaboration with USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain program, and partnership between Chemonics, including TechChange to provide the expertise of content delivery and refinement. The course targets learners in ECOWAS countries and sets to empower regional actors to strengthen health systems and foster collaboration and coordination between relevant regional and global initiatives. This course launched in March of 2019 and will continue to be accessible until March 31, 2022. This course is offered only in French. Next year, this partnership will expand, including the West African Health Organization (WAHO) to begin the development of additional courses, live events, webinar series,  platfrom/course revamp, and course translations. This development will be designed through a series of partner collaboration events including kickoff meetings and ideation workshops. 

• Capacity Building for Malaria activity, HRH2030 (Human Resources for Health in 2030) course: This course supports the President’s Malaria Initiative’s (PMI) priorities by capitalizing on the significant investments of USAID and other donors by expanding on existing programs and materials. Its goal is to improve countries’ performance on Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM) grant through changes in policies or guidelines, improvement in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems, and reduced stockouts. The course aims to connect related technical filed advisors supported under previous USAID mechanisms in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger. The target audience also includes the connection of additional technical advisors in other priority countries such as Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo. This course was launched in March 2018 and is expected to continue through 2021. This course was developed in partnership between USAID, Chemonics, and included TechChange to provide the expertise of content delivery and refinement. This course is offered only in French.