For more than three decades, HAI’s partnership model and health system strengthening approach  underscored our commitment to local priority-setting and leadership in global health. When HAI took on our first “district adoption” program in Mozambique in 1987, we worked in solidarity with the newly independent nation’s National Health System, demonstrating our unwavering support of local institutions against apartheid-backed insurgents and bringing our resources and expertise to the table as collaborators. Each decade since, we have evolved and grown, letting our values drive us closer to our mission through reinvention of our structure and operations.

What began as a small organization staffed by a handful of Americans working in Mozambique and Seattle, by 2020 had grown into a global organization. Over 90% of our staff were locally-hired public health and nonprofit management professionals leading the highly successful implementation of a diverse portfolio of health promotion, education, and research programs.  We are extremely proud of the growth and impact of our mission on human lives, on public health systems, and on the practice of global health.

But, as with the rest of the world, 2020 presented us with an opportunity to reflect on how we adapt to change. 

In fact, global health has been changing for some time. Following a long history of parallel, foreign-led interventions that often circumvent local public sector health systems, funders of global health are increasingly looking to local expertise and local systems to help integrate public health interventions and drive impact to achieve universal health coverage. As this change takes place, iNGOs like HAI are being justifiably asked to make the case for maintaining expensive, global systems of operation following years of local capacity building efforts.  This is especially true when decision-making authority about how funds are employed is concentrated in headquarters offices, located outside countries of operation.

HAI spent more than three decades successfully building collaborative, productive partnerships with our implementing and funding partners who we know see the continued value in our mission, model, and approach. But, we also spent decades investing resources in our country office staff, building experience and strengthening expertise to successfully manage and implement large, complex grants.  Their responsiveness, flexibility, determination, and professionalism shone particularly bright in 2020 as had the quality of their work under HAI’s most recent Country Directors.

With our Côte d’Ivoire program approaching the end of its active funding in 2021, HAI’s board and leadership took the opportunity to consider the future of HAI’s remaining programs. As a result of much thoughtful consideration and planning, in October 2021, HAI once again evolved in service of our mission and values.  At that time, with the support of our funders, HAI-Mozambique programs and staff transferred to Comité para a Saúde de Moçambique (CSM) and HAI-Timor-Leste programs and staff transferred to Asosiansaun Hamutuk Nasaun Saudavel (HAMNASA). And in February 2022, we were thrilled to introduce Health Alliance Côte d’Ivoire (HA-CI), a local Ivorian NGO founded by former HAI Côte d’Ivoire Country Director.

CSM, HAMNASA, and HA-CI are independent, locally-registered NGOs with a board, leadership, and staff that reflect the communities they serve.  All three organizations—with years of support from HAI—have the systems and structures required to take on a wide range of funding opportunities.  And, importantly, all three organizations embrace HAI’s public sector collaboration model and health system strengthening approach and will continue to work collaboratively with HAI’s long-time partners, including Ministries of Health, National Institutes of Health, and the University of Washington.

The future of HAI’s values, model, and commitment to global health equity, solidarity, and action is the future of CSM, HAMNASA, and HA-CI.  And so, in April 2022, HAI will complete its 35-year journey.

While this brings mixed emotions for all of us, we are confident that HAI’s commitment to strengthening public sector health services will live on through CSM, HAMNASA, and HA-CI. And we are proud knowing that this transition embraces our values and vision of a more equitable model of global health led by local expertise.

Please join us in celebrating the beginning of what we expect to be a very long, very successful future for CSM, HAMNASA, and HA-CI.

In Solidarity,