Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a three-part series. Stay tuned for Part II!

The personal is political. Often it is the personal that moves us to action — it becomes a driving force for our passions, our commitments, and our hopes for a better world.

My great-grandmother died while in labor with her last born, who was also lost that day, leaving my grandfather and his siblings orphaned. (Don’t worry reader, my grandfather, although he never knew his mother and lost his father soon after, was raised with a lot of love and sympathy by our very large, village-sized family, and he lived a long and beautiful life. May Allah have mercy on his soul.) The legacy of her loss is what shaped me into the fierce advocate for birthing justice that I am today.

My great-grandmother should not have died that day. In her case, her child was already making their way out while she struggled to find transport from her Palestinian village to the nearest hospital in Jerusalem. According to Averting Maternal Death and Disability, about 15% of women develop complications during or after pregnancy globally, accounting for 303,000 maternal deaths annually, most of which could be prevented with access to emergency obstetric care and culturally competent birthing practices.

Long before the founding of modern-day obstetrics, there were many safe birthing techniques conducted by indigenous peoples worldwide. Oftentimes, these practices are glossed over in the legacy of birthing, but is there more that we can learn from these practices? I hope that through highlighting the herstory of a few practices that were carried out to support women during childbirth, we can honor our foremothers for being practitioners and protectors of a very sacred process and learn from their wisdom. The earliest recorded births throughout the world were accompanied by older women, and there are records of this in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. There are also records of women birthing on their own. Although written documentation of childbirth practices can be challenging to find, there is considerable artwork depicting scenes of childbirth in contexts around the world.

The first successful c-sections were performed in Africa

Africa has been ahead of the curve in many aspects of progress, it is where humanity originated, and cesarean sections. The first c-sections known to humans were performed in the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom in Uganda. Recently the written record of a Scottish doctor, Dr. Robert William Felkin, was found describing the c-section process in detail in 1879. He commented that the Bunyoro had a much lower fatality rate compared to those performed in Europe and the United States, which, at the time, had a fatality rate of nearly 100%. (Yes, reader, I was shocked too. Thankfully the procedure is much safer now).

The Bunyoro were performing c-sections long before this doctor came to observe the procedure and they had it down to a science. The delivery team consisted of an anesthetist, a surgeon, a surgeon’s assistant, and a midwife. They would lie the mother down on an inclined bed and sedate her with banana wine (which I can tell you is incredibly strong from only smelling it once). Next, the surgeon sterilized the tummy and a special curved knife and then said an invocation, or prayer, before cutting through the abdominal wall and then the uterine wall in the lower region of the abdomen. This would become known in Western medicine as a low-transverse incision and became a best practice for c-sections in 1926, about 50 years after the Buynoro were recorded to have developed the practice. After the incision the baby would be delivered, then the placenta, the umbilical cord cut. The team used various methods to dress the wound, they put pressure on the wound to reduce blood loss, used a hot iron rod (sparingly), and then pins and a suture to close the incision. The whole process was very quick to minimize pain and blood loss.

They would monitor the mother and baby closely over the next few weeks. On the third day, they removed one pin, on the fifth they removed three pins, and on the sixth, they removed the remaining ones. Each time they would remove the pins they would clean the wound of any pus and dress it with a new clean dressing. By the eleventh day, the wound was healed and the mother and her baby were healthy.

Birthing stools and birthing rooms in SWANA (Southwest Asian and Northern Africa, also known as the Middle East)

The SWANA region has some of the earliest documented use of the birthing stool dating back even to ancient Egypt, which has since been adapted and improved for the modern era. There is an artistic account of a Queen in either Iraq or Iran in the late 11th or early 12th century, who is documented using a birthing stool supported by two women, at least one of whom is assumed to be a midwife. Another interesting innovation in childbirth at the time was to have the mother and baby stay secluded in a birth room with an annexed sandala, which would functionally be a sort of neonatal or postpartum care unit.

Dr. Bousy M. Zidan describes the sandala as an “enclose[d] square framed fenestration with a whorl screen, to let both light and fresh air to get inside.” The birth stool allowed for the mother to have a supported vertical birth. Notably, it was not a best practice even for the Queen to give birth laying down. The birth room allowed for a 40-day healing period when both the mother and baby are immunologically vulnerable. The sandala allowed for fresh air to enter and circulate throughout the space preventing the growth of mold and bacteria.

Indigenous practices of squatting and vertical birthing in Latin America

The Birthing Figure is estimated to be of Meso-American Aztec origin, dating back to the Pre-Columbian period (although the exact time period of this piece seems to be up for debate by scholars of art history). What is striking about this sculpture is that the assumed position of childbirth is squatting and the baby seems to be emerging arms and head first.

Additionally, indigenous Peruvian women have been practicing a type of vertical birth using a rope and a support person. Typically the rope is hanging from the ceiling, the laboring mother grips the rope as she bears down (she can be squatting, standing, or leaning) and a family member supports her from behind. Meanwhile a midwife or birth attendant is ready to catch the baby so they do not fall on the floor. Since the mother does not lay on her back in this traditional birthing pose, it frees the coccyx bone to move back slightly as the baby comes down the birth canal. In general, poses that do not involve horizontal birthing (laying down) allow for more room in the pelvis and easier delivery. Recently, these indigenous birthing traditions have been incorporated into the care provided at health facilities in rural Peru and have improved birthing outcomes as well as increased birthing attendance at clinics.

Bridging the modern and the traditional

We can find hope for the future of maternal healthcare by understanding the past. The history of maternal and women’s health in the global south contains so much knowledge and wisdom that we can learn from and apply. These regions, though they struggle with some of the highest maternal mortality rates, deserve attention for their contributions to what we know about effective birthing practices today and investment so these traditions are not lost, but incorporated into current practice. Although globally there have been many improvements in maternal health and women are generally dying from childbirth less, there is still so much we can learn from birthing practices that pre-date hospitalized births. This is especially true now since global improvements in reducing maternal mortality have stalled.

Traditional practices can help us improve hospitalized births as well as make birthing at home or at birth centers safer and more accessible. These more holistic methods of birthing are becoming more common (and are arguably more necessary) in hospital settings. With the incorporation of birthing balls, peanut balls, and the slow resurgence of the birthing stool, there is hope. More intentional efforts are needed by clinical providers to liaise with communities to ensure culturally competent and respectful care is available to all birthing people.

Hospitals and clinics can be made more aware of and attuned to how people will find comfort in different birthing positions. By bridging the modern and the traditional, our societies can build provisions for birthing people to have the type of birthing experience and early childhood support that they need. We have always known horizontal birthing does not work for everyone, thus our societies should have options for birthing people. We have always known there needs to be ample time for bodies to rest and recover from childbirth, thus our societies should provide adequate time for recovery and bonding with children. We have always known the answers to our questions of ‘how best to provide care’ are found within the individuals and communities we claim to serve, thus we must do better to serve them.

Hana Hamdi was a 2018–2019 fellow serving as the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Officer at IntraHealth International in Kampala, Uganda. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. This fall, she will be starting an MSN in Nurse-Midwifery at Yale University. She currently resides in Kampala.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Part 1: Decolonizing Maternity Care: A History of Labor Practices in the Global South was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

–Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

In January, Jacinda Ardern announced her resignation after serving five years as Prime Minister of New Zealand. Amongst the many reasons she cited for her decision, amongst them was burnout.

The unprecedented misogyny and abuse Ardern faced while in office provided a stark reminder of just how many barriers women in positions of power continue to face. Elected at just 37, Ardern’s rise to power caught the attention of millions around the world as she showcased a rare leadership approach–combining boldness with empathy and decisiveness with humility.

When I think about all of the traits I admired about the leadership of Ardern, I think of the kindness she displayed when her country experienced the catastrophe of a mass shooting, a rarity for them. I think of her ability to protect her people from the spread of COVID-19 by displaying respect for science and facts.

Prime Minister Ardern wasn’t an effective leader because she was a woman, but because she displayed traits that are so often undervalued in assessments of effective leadership.

The key to closing gender equity gaps in leadership is not as simple as filling decision-making positions with women. While studies have shown that when women are in power, countries and companies alike see higher rates of success across many markers, it’s about so much more than a woman being in charge. In the fight for gender equity, we are not looking to supersede our male counterparts, but rather to balance the scales and create structures and societies where everyone — including all kinds of women — can thrive. Achieving that vision will also require more male leaders to adapt the traits demonstrated by leaders like PM Ardern.

As a member of a global health organization and as a woman, my skin is in the game when it comes to achieving gender equity. The gender gap in our sector is persistent and pervasive.

The factors that perpetuate this gender gap are complex and multifaceted. They range from cultural biases and societal expectations to structural barriers and systemic discrimination. The pandemic made it clear that we cannot afford to continue with the status quo — the challenges of our time require everyone to play a role. Women bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table, and their voices and contributions are essential in shaping the future of global health. At Global Health Corps, we’re proud that our 1,300+ community of leaders comprises 65% women. And we’re equally proud that all of our leaders, regardless of their gender identity, lead with emotional intelligence, reward compassion, and prioritize equity and inclusion.

But achieving gender equity in global health leadership is not something that any one organization can do alone. It requires a collective effort from all stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, and individuals. We must work together to learn from PM Ardern’s example and embrace the non-traditional leadership qualities that have the power to transform our world.

Bailey Borchardt is the Communications Coordinator at Global Health Corps and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of AMPLIFY. She is a graduate of City College of New York’s Colin Powell School of Civic and Global Leadership and lives in New York City.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

I Want More Leaders to Lead as PM Ardern Did was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

’’I was impregnated by my uncle. He was staying with us in our home. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone that he had defiled me. When he learned that I had become pregnant, he ran away, and up to now, I don’t know where he is.”

–Rehema, Age 15, from Luuka District in Eastern Uganda, shared her story with Anadolu Agency

Stories like Rehema’s are not rare occurrences. A 2021 report by UNICEF indicated a 22.5% increase in teenage pregnancies between March 2020 and June 2021 in Sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF acknowledges that many girls who are pregnant are pressured or forced to drop out of school, which can impact their educational and employment prospects and opportunities. Early pregnancy and childbearing can also have social consequences for girls, including reduced status in the home and community, stigmatization, rejection, and violence by family members, peers, and partners, and early and forced marriage — all of which can trigger adverse mental health outcomes. Furthermore, serious health conditions such as obstetric fistula, eclampsia, puerperal endometritis, and systemic infections in the short and long-term tend to also have mental health-related, co-morbid conditions.

When critically assessing the intersection between mental health and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), teenage pregnancies are only a drop in an ocean. Mental health problems can be a result of concurrent or past SRH events and vice versa. Research has shown that people with serious mental illness tend to have more lifetime sexual partners, limited use of contraception, and unplanned pregnancy among women, which leads to a greater risk of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.

The adolescence stage, during which SRH services, such as information, are key is also a time when young people undergo a lot of physical, mental, and psychosocial changes and are therefore susceptible to varying degrees of mental stress. The stigma and discrimination that arise from physical changes, such as menstruation, can also trigger poor mental and physical health. This stigma and discrimination can also lead to isolation from family, social exclusion, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual abuse (when menstruation precedes child marriage), which are all risk factors for psychological distress.

It should also be noted that gender-based violence (GBV) with its pervasive negative consequences on SRH is both a cause and a consequence of mental health challenges. A report by CEHURD Uganda indicates that women suffering from intimate partner violence are less likely to adopt contraception and are 46 to 69 percent more likely to have an unintended pregnancy. Abusive partners are 83 percent more likely to coerce a pregnancy, through forced intercourse or birth-control sabotage, and women in abusive relationships are 2.7 times more likely to seek an abortion. There is also an explicit linkage between alcohol and substance use disorder with GBV.

“The effect of alcohol on the cognitive capabilities of individuals lowers inhibitions and heightens patriarchal ideologies, thus arousing dominant toxic masculinities that often lead to violence by men towards women.” - South African Commission on Gender Equality

While designing interventions to promote SRH, it is very critical to appreciate the bi-directional relationship SRH has with mental health. This includes psychological distress and stigma resulting from adolescent bodily changes such as menstruation, mental illness affecting the use of contraception, encouraging risky sexual behaviors, and gender-based violence as well as alcohol and drug use being a key risk factor in teenage pregnancies and sexual abuse. Therefore, integrating mental health services such as psychoeducation and psychotherapy by providers of SRH services can go a long way in offering holistic care to both individuals and their communities thus improving general SRH outcomes.

Charles Mwanje was a 2020–2021 Global Health Corps fellow and currently serves as the Behavioral Health Programs Officer at Jhpiego–A Johns Hopkins University affiliate.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

Why Mental Health Should be Integrated into Sexual and Reproductive Health Services was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When I began my Global Health Corps fellowship as a Communications Associate, I was excited primarily because I knew I was going to be part of a group of like-minded young people from around the world promoting health equity. The second reason I was so enthused about the fellowship was that I’d join the organization working to bring basic, sustainable, and quality healthcare to the poorest of communities through medical and management training in Malawi and other African countries–– LifeNet International.

As a Communications fellow for LifeNet, I wanted to use this opportunity and my skills to identify the biggest challenges in Malawi’s health care system and determine how I could make a difference. From my experience and observation as a Malawian, I saw that most of our hospitals lack funding, medical supplies, adequate medical staff, and proper infrastructure, among other issues.

A few months into the fellowship, the facilities I had visited had similar challenges. But the more I visited these rural facilities, the more I learned that the problem was more than just the aforementioned lack of medical supplies, funding, proper infrastructure, and adequate medical staff.

Compassionate leadership was the missing piece in the puzzle.

In our struggling economy, we might not have adequate funding for health care anytime soon, but with compassionate leadership, the resources that are available could go a long way in reducing preventable deaths in Malawi. It is unfortunate that the spotlight for challenges in medical care seldom falls on the importance of leadership — a quality I think deserves more consideration than I can emphasize.

LifeNet International believes in delivering health care services with compassion. As such, it partners with Christian health facilities that share this value as well. As a Communications fellow for LifeNet, I had the privilege to have deep conversations with different leaders managing these health facilities. More often than not, the main takeaway from these conversations is how important compassionate care is in the health care system.

For example, in one of the busiest health care facilities in peri-urban Lilongwe, I met Sister Grace, who manages St. Kizito Health Center. On that particular day, the facility was very busy. The guardian waiting shelter was packed full of women, babies, and men on their laps. The pharmacy waiting space was full and there were people everywhere. Sister Grace and her team had their hands full trying to serve as many patients as possible, which meant that I had to wait longer than expected. I asked if I could make the rounds with her while I waited to speak with her.

As we went around, I noted something peculiar about Sister Grace that I had also observed in other facilities that are performing better within the LifeNet program. Sister Grace led her staff with compassion and kindness and encouraged them to extend their compassion to the patients they served. She spoke to every patient with warmth and care and was even familiar with some of the patients we were meeting in the corridors. Later on, as we had time to talk, Sister Grace explained the challenges that the facility faces, but the emphasis on how she handles everything caught my attention.

As a Catholic nun, Sister Grace believes that medical care is a calling from God. For her, she has left everything through personal sacrifice and dedicated her whole life to leaving an everlasting legacy in the community she lives. She further explained that understanding the limitations in funding, staff, equipment, and medicines are important to managing resources at her disposal with utmost care to ensure the most vulnerable in the community access quality care.

Leading with compassion allows her to be accountable to herself, her team, and the patients she serves — bringing trust, integrity, and motivation to those around her.

With compassionate leadership, Sister Grace tackles medical care challenges with hope and kindness. She is inspired by Medical Missionaries of Mary that derive great energy from the Gospel story of Biblical Mary. There is a wholeness and seamless quality to her life. Her daily prayer energizes her work and the human needs and suffering of the world draw her into service for others. Her spirituality and care for others are deeply rooted in the Christian Gospel, especially the mysteries of the Incarnation, Visitation, and Nativity, all told in the Gospel of Luke.

My experience with Sister Grace is a reflection of all the best-performing facilities in which LifeNet is working. Its leaders are compassionate and accountable to the tenants of compassionate care. By promoting these values, LifeNet is transforming African health care in both management and medicine. The facilities are improving their pharmacy management, record-keeping, and financial management which in turn help to serve so many with little resources. As we work tirelessly in mobilizing resources to improve health care, let us look beyond the material need. Let us be leaders that serve others and manage resources with compassion, humility, empathy, and accountability.

Joseph Thotholani Njoka was a 2021–2022 Malawian fellow who served as the Communications Associate at LifeNet International.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

It’s Not Just Funding Our Health Systems Need More Of…It’s Compassion was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Kenya is going through an election to find its 5th President, leaders at the National Assembly, and at local levels. It is a historic election because it seems to be an inflection point––a point where the older generation of leaders are asking for their last chance to make their contribution to the development of Kenya before a transition happens. The old generation is being represented by Kenya’s freedom fighter, H.E. Raila Amolo Odinga, while the new generation of Kenyan leaders is represented by the resolute and ever-present and persistent Deputy President of Kenya, Dr. William Samoei Ruto.

The vote hunting season has been nothing but remarkable, largely peaceful, and idea-based. We have witnessed a massive number of female candidates vying for various leadership positions, including the deputy presidency. We have witnessed the oratory skills and delivery of well-crafted messages to generate hope, paint a shared vision, and drive the population towards alignment and unity. Kenya has offered several lessons to its neighbors in East Africa and the rest of Africa in the areas of respect for the freedoms of speech, freedoms of association, the right to belong, the need to find it in ourselves to value life, diversity and inclusion, among several other lessons. But something else caught my attention on the polling day of the 9th of August, 2022.

An elderly woman of 87 was carried to the Kibwayi Primary School polling station in Kisian, Kisumu County. As the narrative goes, she has always cherished voting for her favored candidates and contributing to her country’s development. In this particular election, she demanded that she be taken to cast her vote and was carried by a young man to the polling station. Upon reaching the station, the biometric system failed to detect her fingerprints and was unable to locate her in the digital register.

Mama was unable to vote because of these technology glitches, along with many others whose concerns are now being highlighted on various social media platforms by their relatives. I got emotional on reading about her story and had many thoughts. This was a clear case of injustice against mama and the elderly in our communities in the name of sticking to the non-user-friendly technologies to conduct critical exercises like elections. We see these and many kinds of injustices taking root in our homes, at our workplaces, and in our communities. It bothers me that we no longer pay attention to recognizing these injustices, let alone doing something about them.

At 87 years, Mama is one of the African greats that braved it all to offer us an opportunity to live dignified lives as Africans, and perhaps thrive and change the world at some point. Their generation faced the wrath of colonialists and conquered it. They faced various epidemics and survived them, along with climate emergencies, internal political insurgencies, and all kinds of abuse against their rights. But in this moment in the 21st century, during the age of technology and communication, she was failed. We failed Mama, just like we have failed ourselves in many ways today. We have allowed injustice to find space in our midst, sometimes cheering acts of injustice, tacitly approving those acts, or directly being involved in some of them.

I believe it is time for us to rediscover the African spirit, the spirit of Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela, Thomas Sankara, Julius Nyerere, Steve Mbiko, Milton Obote, and the many African greats who resisted every form of injustice meted upon us during their times. Our generation should never be remembered as one that sowed the seeds of anarchy, intrigue, ruthlessness, the lack of shame and remorse, corruption, and yes, exclusion like the case of the Mama in Kenya.

Let’s reawaken the African spirit, and fight all forms of injustices that have pegged our people behind for so long. Get aware of all these forms of injustice, our role in bringing them to life, and what we can do differently to liberate our minds and our communities. Let us be alive again, for one who keeps silent about the things that matter, is one whose life has begun to end — paraphrasing Martin Luther King Jr, another African great.

#AlutaContinua

Ariong Moses was a 2012–2013 fellow. He now serves as the Partnerships and Fundraising Manager at Teach for Uganda.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

The Social Justice Fight is Our Fight: Lessons from the 2022 Kenyan Presidential Elections was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dear 2022–2023 Global Health Corps (GHC) Fellows,

Congratulations for making it this far and welcome to this large community of leaders and global change-makers! Joining GHC’s movement to achieve health equity is an opportunity to propel your leadership growth as you work towards your professional goals

Thirteen months ago, I was standing where you are now and can assure you that you are not here by mistake. At the beginning of the fellowship year, I was both excited and anxious. I joined the program just after graduating from a Master’s program and was worried about the transition from student to professional. I was asking myself so many questions: “What if I do not have the required skills for this fellowship role?” “What if I can’t adapt to the organization’s workplace culture?” “What if I don’t get enough support from mentors and supervisors?” “What if all plans don’t go as expected?” Once I got to work, reality quickly calmed my fears. It was the opposite of what I feared. The biggest support came from GHC’s daily commitment to my professional growth, my supervisor at my placement organization, and my incredible co-fellow.

All the mentorship, coaching, and professional development that GHC offers have helped me grow as a leader. Through this fellowship, I have become an authentic leader by learning how to effectively handle challenges on my own, how to seek support when feeling stuck, and how to embrace feedback from my supervisor and other team members. Most importantly, I learned to believe in my abilities.

The co-fellowship experience provided me with amazing memories I’ll always cherish: game nights, outdoor yoga, and all the time we spent in the kitchen trying out new recipes. These experiences bolstered my mental and emotional well-being throughout the year.

As I transition into the GHC alumni community, I bring with me the ability to lead an impactful and influential life by being a good listener, being supportive of others, and collaborating effectively with those around me. Honoring GHC’s leadership values and commitments will guide me as I continue to grow as a leader. The fellowship has opened doors for my professional journey. I will continue to develop my skills and knowledge in global health and use my expertise to transform communities.

Because of the fellowship, you will never feel unqualified because you will have leadership and mentorship programs to increase your knowledge and self-confidence. You will never feel alone because you will be surrounded by people supporting your journey and reminding you to prioritize self-care and mental health. Be true to yourself and trust that being accepted to this fellowship means that you have what it takes to be part of this movement.

Remember to take advantage of all the opportunities that this fellowship affords you and use them to grow into the leader you’re meant to become. I wish you an enjoyable and memorable fellowship journey. I can’t wait to welcome you to the alumni community upon completion of your fellowship.

Sincerely,

Gloria

Gloria Rukomeza is a 2021–2022 fellow serving as a Chronic Care & Surgery Resource Mobilization Officer at Partners In Health/Inshuti Mu Buzima in Rwanda.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

#PassTheTorch: Gloria Rukomeza was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello, 2022–2023 Fellows!

Firstly, congratulations and welcome to the GHC family. This is a very exciting opportunity and I sincerely hope it will be a wonderful experience for you all.

The start of the fellowship can be a time when you have lots of questions. You may be wondering how you will navigate the fellowship requirements and your placement organization. Or perhaps how you will get along with your co-fellow and the rest of the cohort. What you’re feeling is completely normal. I certainly had many thoughts swimming around my mind as I started on my fellowship journey. I can assure you that you will make the most of the next 13 months.

I have faced various challenges throughout my fellowship that pushed me to a level of self-growth I didn’t expect to reach in 13 months. The trainings, retreats, growth plans, and coaching created a holistic system of ideas, support, and solutions that helped me to navigate the work environment and work towards my goals. The toughest part was showing up to do my best when I couldn’t bring myself to, but every time I did I had no regrets. Having that support system made it that much easier to navigate. As a leader, I have learned that I am so much more capable than I realized. By the end of your fellowship, I hope your belief in yourself as an effective leader has grown too.

I highly recommend taking advantage of the coaching program to help keep you on track with the day-to-day aspects of the fellowship. I have found the regular support of a coach to be invaluable for my personal and career growth. The retreats are great occasions to reflect and strategize on your experience as well as connect with your cohort and GHC staff. Come with an open and enthusiastic heart and mind to get the full benefits of those spaces.

Having seen what I have gained from the fellowship, I believe that the professional development the fellowship provides will continue to be beneficial in my journey as a development professional and social justice advocate. As I transition into the alumni community, I will continue to participate in various alumni activities and capacity-building opportunities. I can’t wait to meet all of you.

You are coming into the fellowship as capable leaders and I trust that you have what it takes to make this a successful experience.

Best,

Luntha

Luntha Ng’ong’ola is a 2021–2022 fellow serving as a Business Development Officer at Amref Health Africa in Malawi

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

#PassTheTorch: Luntha Ng’ong’ola was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dear 2022–2023 Global Health Corps (GHC) fellow cohort,

First off, I would like to congratulate you all for making it into the GHC fellowship after passing through the rigorous recruitment process. You are most welcome to this life-changing opportunity that will help build your career and leadership development.

At the start of my fellowship, I was very excited about making it into this prestigious program. At the same time, I was very afraid to step into my new journey. This was because I had no background in health and I anticipated facing a big challenge fitting into the program.

However, before I reported for work, I received an outpouring of support from GHC through the Training Institute which assured me that I was not the first to have these fears. This training provided me with the resources needed to hit the ground running and reach out for support when needed.

The GHC network has a pool of diverse leaders from a span of backgrounds and locations who are eager to help and share resources with each other. I encourage you to reach out to them when you face challenges. This is a resource I wish I utilized early on in my fellowship year.

During my fellowship year, I have faced a few challenges and experienced many successes. The most challenging part of the fellowship for me was adapting to work in the public health space as a newcomer to the sector. What kept me going was the massive support I received from my placement organization and my co-fellow, Dingase, who was always ready to be a sounding board when I most needed it.

Throughout my fellowship year, I grew as a leader through working at my placement organization, participating in GHC programming, and collaborating with other fellows and alumni. I have learned how to use my voice, work in multi-cultural settings, and take up more space.

It’s difficult to highlight my favorite memories from the past year because there are truly too many to choose from. I have especially enjoyed all the retreats organized by the Zambian country team (shoutout to my ZamFam!) that allowed me to interact with my fellow cohort members.

Writing this feels like goodbye but this is just the beginning of the incredible things that lie ahead for me and my cohort. The 13-month journey you are about to start runs by so fast––be sure to relish every moment.

I would like to encourage you all to be open-minded and resilient as you prepare to take on the challenges, surprises, and opportunities that will arise throughout the year. Set your goals straight, identify at least one thing you want to achieve out of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and start working on it. You have the resources to help you through the process at your disposal. Recognize them early and utilize them well. Lean on each other for support and always remember that you have a larger community rooting for you.

I have accepted an offer from my placement organization to stay on full-time beyond the fellowship and I’ll be pursuing my Master’s degree. As I transition into the alumni community, I bring with me the relationships I forged throughout the year and the new skills I have gained.

I wish you all a very successful fellowship year. I can not wait to see and meet you all in the future. I’ll be rooting for you.

Sincerely,

Chilowekwa

Chilowekwa Shike is a 2021–2022 fellow serving as a Communications Officer at PATH in Zambia.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

#PassTheTorch: Chilowekwa Shike was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“I don't support violence, BUT…” I have seen this statement used repeatedly in public discussions about gender-based violence (GBV), especially on social media, and I can honestly say I am not a fan. I came across it again recently regarding a story I had been following keenly.

Earlier this year, a Nigerian woman was murdered by her abusive husband and social media users blasted platforms with “thoughts and opinions” about the situation. As I scrolled through comments on a post about the incident, I came across this comment: “I absolutely do not condone violence and I do not encourage violence of ANY form, BUT, as wives, sometimes our behavior towards our husbands leads them to anger and to beating us.”

Below that comment was another commenter who followed this declaration of not condoning violence with “…BUT, men are not good at exchanging words and they respond physically.”

My heart dropped. The number of likes on these comments was perplexing. How can someone think that a “beating” from a spouse under any circumstance is warranted? The lack of empathy was disheartening. It is this kind of reasoning and thinking that normalizes abuse––forcing many women to remain in abusive relationships. They think to themselves “I just have to be a good wife and he won’t get upset.” The truth of the matter is that there is absolutely no excuse for abuse.

As long as society continues to follow “I don’t condone violence” with “BUT” the cycle of abuse will continue. Language matters and this kind of language justifies––and even encourages––the actions of the abuser and blames the victim for their pain. An abuser is an abuser and there is no amount of “good behavior” from a spouse that will stop them from being violent.

It was disappointing to see that the comments quoted in this article were made by women (and liked by other women) when we know that 82% of victims of domestic violence are women. What we are trying to achieve is an equal world––a better world. If we are to achieve this, as a society, we need to STOP making excuses of any form for perpetrators of violence. Violence against women must be called out, must be stopped, and must be eliminated––no buts. If you are someone who does not condone violence, be someone who does not condone violence full stop. Victims must feel supported, not blamed, and they must know that society has their back and is doing all it can to eliminate acts of violence and abuse from the root.

With all being said, I was encouraged by the number of us who were speaking against such reasoning by sparking this much-needed conversation with those with opposing views. We must always speak out. There are lives at stake and silence is compliance.

In Malawi, we have the Victim Support Unit within law enforcement specifically designed to respond to cases of GBV. If you are a victim or a witness of violence, report the case to your nearest police station where the Victim Support Officer will assist you. You can also report cases via the police hotline 997. Getting familiar with what the law says about GBV is important in order to be able to identify situations of GBV and report them. Malawi adopted a number of policies and other legal frameworks to address this issue.

These are some of the resources to get started:

The Republic of Malawi Prevention of Domestic Violence Legislation

The Republic of Malawi: National Gender Policy

Ruth Ntombihle Mughogho is a 2021–2022 fellow serving as a Communications Fellow at Art and Global Health Center Africa.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

“I do not support violence, BUT…” was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, the Global Health Corps (GHC) community gathered on March 29th for a fireside chat about imposter syndrome and its relation to gender inequity in global health leadership. This chat featured CEO Heather Anderson, Vice President and Executive Editor at Penguin Random House Jamia Wilson, and alumni Caroline Numuhire, Lanice Williams, and 2017–Musonda Chikwanda. This discussion was inspired by a Harvard Business Review (HBR) article by Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey called “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome,” which stated that “imposter syndrome directs our view toward fixing women at work instead of fixing the places where women work.”

Prior to attending a leadership workshop in college, I had no idea that I was experiencing imposter syndrome, let alone that there was a term for what I was feeling. It was relieving to hear that those sensations I’d felt of not being qualified for something–even if I had the interest and drive for it–was not just a weakness in my character, but rather something that many people, at all points of accomplishments, also experienced. I also remember, as the HBR article alluded to, feeling temporary empowerment that all I had to do was repeat positive affirmations, talk about my accomplishments with others, and other action steps that were focused on self-improvement.

Although those practices are important and helpful, attention was not given to the source of the issue. Why was I feeling inadequate to begin with? Why did I have to make sure that all of my work was chiseled to perfection in silence so that no one could call me out? Even for those who have laundry lists of accomplishments and credentials that any onlooker would be proud to see, what causes them to still doubt themselves? Band-aids in the form of self-improvement to these psychological wounds may be easier and faster, but we can, and must do better by tackling the root harm at hand in a time when the potential and ideas of diverse individuals are more important than ever before.

As such, I was uplifted to hear Heather frame that “we’re shifting the focus away from the narrative that women are solely responsible for overcoming their imposter syndrome and towards a narrative that centers on making systemic changes that allow women to thrive in leadership.” Having experienced imposter syndrome early on in her own career, Heather recounted a time when she was given feedback from her boss that she was actually “too ambitious” and that she needed to tone it down.

“It turns out that being competent and confident wasn’t really enough to close the gender gap in leadership for women.”

Despite exuding “masculine” leadership traits of being confident, driven, and results-oriented, Heather has learned throughout her years at GHC that more “feminine” leadership skills such as compassion, empathy, and vulnerability are also signs of strong leadership. Yet, these are often overlooked in the leadership development arena.

Jamia celebrated the vision and work of GHC as it “is not just building the confidence and skills of individual women, but providing platforms for them to advocate, with others, for gender equity at the organizational and societal levels, too.” As Jamia sparked the conversation among the panelists about their own experiences with imposter syndrome, what has helped them, and what change needs to occur, a sort of “healing space” was formed when each woman shared their experiences.

Lanice opened up that imposter syndrome is something that she’s currently navigating, and echoed Heather in that it should be addressed on a systemic level. Especially for women of color, space needs to be created for them to be their true selves and for that self to be appreciated and valued. For supervisors in the workplace, that means providing mentorship, professional development, and other support when employees share that they are experiencing imposter syndrome.

Lanice also reflected on the value of male allies in a mixed-gender workplace acting as vocal champions and advocates for gender equity. With their privilege, they can open up space and opportunities, address gender biases that arise, and ensure healthy partnerships between all genders in the workplace. She learned during her GHC years to be resourceful. Even if our workplace systems aren’t quite there yet, we can still reach out to our allies or trusted coworkers to serve as sounding boards for our thoughts.

For a period in her career, Caroline was a silent worker. She wanted to remain humble about the work she was doing in order to connect with the people around her. However, due to her silence, Caroline had a colleague ask her, “Are you ashamed of what you do?” It made her realize that she was subconsciously hiding, and it hit her that other women could be negatively impacted by this lack of transparency. Women are often raised to be silent, feminine, and to stay at home. Speaking up as a woman is speaking up for all women in the long run.

When prompted about her insights on the gender equity progress of the Rwandan government, she emphasized that we are “shaking the world” when we challenge the stereotypical roles of women in society. Because of the increased representation in political leadership, there’s much more normalization of women being in power. Meanwhile, these same women are still fulfilling their traditional roles of being mothers, sisters, and friends in their communities. Consequently, this duality of women contributes to a national disruption, paving the road to becoming more inclusive while challenging society’s perspectives on gender roles for the future.

Musonda recalled a job application experience from her past in which she’d sought out advice from her friends and colleagues on how to “quiet down” since she didn’t believe that her naturally loud self was appropriate. She later realized that she just needed to be herself — naturally loud and dark-humored — because her voice and boldness were exactly what the organization was looking for.

Musonda also brought in an intergenerational lens to the importance of young people needing to see role models — especially for young girls who are taught that speaking up makes you look “overconfident.” Teaching young women not to speak up out of respect for elders is damaging as they adapt their ambitions and life around those norms. Being a part of the GHC community has helped her understand how to navigate those difficulties, and thus, she now has the confidence to help young women and girls overcome their own struggles. This is the cycle of role models — an important resource noted in the HBR article that men have more of than women — needed to break the cycle of imposter syndrome. Their impact is amplified with each generation that comes along until, little by little, we see the whole world progressing.

A common idea shared by each of the panelists and Jamia was that women must support other women in order to pave the way for more spaces in which women can create an impact. They need to be reminded that they belong, they deserve to be there, and that they are worthy. Additionally, women must listen and learn from each other’s feedback and wisdom.

As the conversation drew to a close, Jamia was reminded of a powerful quote from actress, writer, and producer, Mindy Kaling:

“The scary thing I have noticed is that some people really feel uncomfortable around women who don’t hate themselves. So that’s why you need to be a little bit brave.”

Some workplaces are able to establish and maintain their social hierarchies by this very notion. Thus, to challenge the status quo, Jamia asked us to answer, “what’s a loving thing that I’m doing for myself and others at work?” We have to be brave to be vulnerable and to imagine ourselves in a space that may not have been created yet. As a final call to action, she challenged the audience to think about how we’ve referenced imposter syndrome as it relates to other young women and about how we can challenge that mindset to create more inclusion and belonging for women to thrive.

No matter your personal takeaway from the discussion, the creating and holding of a safe space to talk about imposter syndrome was evidently healing in and of itself (as noted by several attendees). After learning from each speaker’s personal anecdotes and experiences, Jamia left the audience with a quote to come back to whenever we’re struggling — “your wound is our wound.” As we all shift our perspective of imposter syndrome from an issue that only ourselves are responsible for to one that everyone is responsible for, remember that your feelings are valid, you belong here, and we all have each other’s back!

Angelee Chen is the Spring Communications Intern at Global Health Corps. She is a recent graduate of Ithaca College where she majored in Environmental Studies.

Global Health Corps (GHC) is a leadership development organization building the next generation of health equity leaders around the world. All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. To learn more, visit our website and connect with us on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook.

Beyond Imposter Syndrome: A Systemic Approach to Promoting Gender Equity in Global Health… was originally published in AMPLIFY on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.