VillageReach’s 25th anniversary celebrations in both the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Côte d’Ivoire were more than a moment of reflection—it was a powerful recognition of the organization’s enduring impact in both countries.
As Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, CEO of VillageReach, noted during the 25th anniversary celebration in DRC, “Twenty-five years is more than an anniversary, it is a testament to resilience, innovation and partnership.”
After a quarter-century of transforming health care delivery, VillageReach understands that success is not only defined by what is achieved, but by what is built: stronger systems, healthier communities and sustainable change.
Increasing Access to Health Products
From left to right, Alassane Kamagate senior programme manager VillageReach Côte d’Ivoire, Yves Rolland Kouabenan Country Director VillageReach Côte d’Ivoire, Dr Marie Paule Boni, consultant programme manager VillageReach Côte d’Ivoire, Professor Mamadou Samba, Director General of Health and Public Hygiene at the Ministry of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage in Côte d’Ivoire and Dr Brou Gbotto Raymond, Coordinating Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in Côte d’Ivoire during the cutting of the cake to celebrate 25 years of VillageReach at the Novotel Abidjan Plateau. Photo Credit: Bamba Aida Marguerite
VillageReach has been working in DRC since 2015 and in Côte d’Ivoire since 2017 with a focus on increasing access to medicines and vaccines and increasing immunization rates. At VillageReach, we strive to build responsive primary health care systems that are available when and where they are needed, even for the hardest-to-reach communities. Achieving these responsive systems requires strong supply chains that get products to the most underreached populations, whether due to geography or social inequity, in ways that are convenient and accessible. Our 25th anniversary provided us with an opportunity to celebrate our successes and our vision for the future.
“This event is not only an anniversary celebration, but also a celebration of our 2030 vision, which guides our daily work,” said Freddy Nkosi, Senior Director, Global Programs West and Central Africa, VillageReach at the DRC 25th anniversary celebration.
In DRC, we are increasing access to health products in Equateur Province (a province that is hard-to-reach via traditional transport due to the Congolese river and flooding). In 2015 we found health workers had to travel at least 80 kilometers in this province to access basic medicines needed to serve their communities. And while they were traveling, those community members were left without health care providers. To solve this challenge the Next Generation of Supply Chain (NGCA) approach was developed and over the last eight years, it has reduced stockouts, decreased overall supply chain costs (by 34 percent), decreased transport costs (at the health zone and service delivery level by 40 percent) and increased routine vaccination rates.
While in the Côte d’Ivoire, our Family Planning Supply Chain Strengthening program, a four-year initiative that launched in 2024, will help 5.4 million women of reproductive age across the country have reliable and consistent access to family planning health products.
Bold Innovation
Our work in DRC and Côte d’Ivoire has also been centered on innovation.
“We are celebrating 25 years of innovation, collaboration and shared commitment to improving public health,” said Yves Rolland Kouabenan, Côte d’Ivoire Country Lead, VillageReach, at the VillageReach Côte d’Ivoire 25th anniversary celebration. “The challenges ahead, including equity, accessibility and the resilience of our health system, demand even greater boldness, solidarity and creativity from us.”
Our work in Côte d’Ivoire began with an innovative digital solution, M-Vaccin. This groundbreaking mobile platform registers pregnant women and children, digitizes vaccination schedules and sends voice and SMS reminders in French and local languages. This digital tool reduced the administrative burden on health workers, allowing them to spend more time engaging with and treating their patients.
While in DRC, we helped pilot the first drone test flights carrying vaccines and other essential health products in Equateur Province. Between 2019 and 2023, this program, which became known as Drones4Health, conducted over 4,000 drone flights delivering more than 280,000 vaccine doses, 1,500 health products and 300 lab samples.
Sustainable Partnerships
Dr. Henry Mbuyi, the DRC Minister of Health’s advisor on partnership speaks during the 25th anniversary celebration in DRC. Photo Credit: Simplice Onoya
However, none of our work in either country would be possible without close partnerships with government. Governments are the stewards of the national health system, making their buy-in and collaboration essential.
“I would like to congratulate VillageReach on its achievements, despite the challenges of the past ten years in (DRC),” said Dr. Henry Mbuyi, the DRC Minister of Health’s advisor on partnership, at the VillageReach DRC 25th anniversary celebration. “In the current context, it must be recognized that the ministry is facing funding cuts that are affecting all partners, but in the face of this reality, VillageReach is resilient. We encourage you to continue to demonstrate resilience for the benefit of our communities.”
VillageReach has not only built partnerships with DRC and Côte d’Ivoire ministries of health but has also bridged partnerships between the public and private sectors within each country. Now more than ever, leveraging private sector capacity for public health systems is crucial as traditional foreign aid decreases. Since its inception, VillageReach has been engaging the private sector to transform health care delivery and has successfully built partnerships between the government and telecommunications companies in Côte d’Ivoire and in DRC, among the government and drone operators and private pharmaceutical distributors.
It is through transforming health care together that VillageReach’s impact is realized.