JSI

Where We Work

Sub-Saharan Africa

Improving health and education outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Partnering for Better Health and Education Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa

For over four decades, JSI has worked alongside governments, the private sector, and local organizations across more than 30 African countries to improve health and education outcomes.

We address complex health challenges by working from the policy level to the community, optimizing supply chains, scaling digital platforms, and improving health program delivery. Our education programs span early childhood to adult learning and provide youth with the skills needed for future livelihoods. By grounding our work in country realities and sustainable approaches, JSI brings partners together to drive regional health and education impact.

Profile

Biruhtesfa Bekele, PhD

JSI Ethiopia RMNCH Lead

“Village Health Leaders turn deep-rooted community trust into a conduit for care. They bring life-saving interventions directly to the doorstep—shattering the geographic and social barriers that once made health facilities unreachable.”

Dr. Biruhtesfa Bekele, on the transformative power of Village Health Leaders.

Profile

Jen Vanek, PhD

Digital Learning Expert | Director, Digital Learning and Research

“Our research, the foundation for our technical assistance and professional development, explores promising interventions; our design-based methodology ensures the knowledge gleaned can be applied to improve the outcomes of the communities we serve.”

Dr. Jen Vanek sharing insights from Exploring the Potential of Pace AI in Adult ESOL Classrooms.

Profile

Yenealem Tadesse, MD, MPH

MCH Expert | Chief of Party, Momentum Integrated Health Resilience, Ethiopia

“Improving maternal and child health and nutrition outcomes necessitates identifying the most vulnerable, those living in complex environments undersupported by health systems, and offering high-quality care and preventive services.”

Dr. Yenealem Tadesse on reaching vulnerable populations.

Strengthening Rural Resilience in Northern Mozambique

Through the MozNorte project, World Education leads a consortium of organizations supporting the implementation of the Community Driven Development Fund to improve access to livelihoods and natural resource management in rural Northern Mozambique. We work in collaboration with UNOPS and Mozambique’s National Fund for Sustainable Development (FNDS) to strengthen community governance and facilitate environmentally centered livelihood and infrastructure projects. The initiative aims to reach 108 rural communities, representing up to 27,000 families, with a focus on youth and displaced populations to empower vulnerable households and reinforce resilience in one of the region’s most fragile areas.

Improving Education Quality and Reducing Child Labor in Côte d’Ivoire

Building on a long-term partnership with Mondelēz International, World Education is scaling up implementation of the CocoaLife Quality Education Project to improve education and reduce child labor risks in Côte d’Ivoire. After successfully piloting the approaches in 15 communities, World Education is strengthening School Management Committees (COGES) across the Gbôklé, Nawa, San-Pedro, and Loh-Djiboua regions in 65 cocoa-growing communities. Through our COGES strengthening models, which the government has adopted for national use, we train committee members, coach district education advisors, and support community involvement strategies that sustain educational improvements.

Expanding Health Access and HIV Prevention in Zambia

JSI partnered with Zambia’s Ministry of Health and local partners to improve access to quality, integrated health services and accelerate progress towards HIV epidemic control. We provided HIV treatment services to over 80,000 people, achieving 98% viral suppression. By supporting the rollout of oral PrEP and CAB-LA to expand prevention choice and access across over 200 clinics and community platforms, 194,000 new PrEP users enrolled nationally over three years. To strengthen pandemic preparedness, we equipped teaching hospitals with liquid oxygen systems to improve critical care capacity and supported the national COVID-19 response, contributing to vaccination coverage reaching 70% of eligible Zambians.

Insights

Latest Insights

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JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
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