This episode of The Nonprofit Report continues the exploration of EngenderHealth’s impact across the globe. As a leading health organization committed to advancing gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), EngenderHealth delivers integrated programs through community-driven, context-specific solutions.
Guests:
Sekai Chikowero, Vice President of Programs
Anna Temba, Technical Director and Deputy Country Representative (Tanzania)
Dawood Alam, Senior Specialist, Social and Behavior Change Communication (India)
Meskerem Setegne, SRHR Project Director (Ethiopia)
Interview by: Mark Oppenheim
Key Points:
- EngenderHealth places gender equality at the core of its mission, integrating SRHR, maternal health, and gender-based violence initiatives through intersectional, inclusive programming.
- Country-based leaders tailor programs to reflect local needs and contexts. In Tanzania, India, and Ethiopia, the teams design initiatives that address systemic gaps while building capacity for community ownership and sustainability.
- Staff members often come from clinical or community-based backgrounds, leveraging their on-the-ground experiences to influence health policy, expand access, and strengthen systems.
- The organization emphasizes collaboration with governments, civil society organizations, and local leaders to ensure trust, alignment, and integration of SRHR services into broader development goals.
Other Points on EngenderHealth:
EngenderHealth’s team brings diverse perspectives to a shared mission: ensuring all people, particularly women and girls, have the agency and access to make informed reproductive health choices. Sekai Chikowero emphasized the organization’s holistic approach, noting how SRHR is not only a health issue but intersects with education, social services, and civil rights.
Anna Temba, with roots in clinical medicine, transitioned to public health to create systemic change. Working across multiple ministries in Tanzania, she supports program implementation and capacity building for local organizations.
Dawood Alam’s work in India focuses on behavior change at the provider and community levels. With two decades of experience, he leads initiatives that integrate gender into communication strategies and builds partnerships with local media and health workers to ensure sustainability.
In Ethiopia, Meskerem Setegne’s leadership bridges direct health services and system-level transformation.