Giving Compass' Take:

• Village Reach discusses the impact of technology on their programming and the significant role proximity plays in developing new healthcare approaches.

• What can other nonprofits learn about the power of proximity? 

• Learn more about the power of proximity in social entrepreneurship. 

Izizi ndi Zathu Zomwe. This is ours. That’s the name my team of adolescent researchers has given a groundbreaking public health initiative—a close study of their peers’ needs, behaviors, and preferences related to contraceptives.

That name signals the importance of the qualitative, context-specific information required to succeed in such an initiative—proximity is necessary to develop the new approaches that will improve healthcare access for all. The data from this study will assist product manufacturers and policy stakeholders to address the unique and specific contraceptive needs of young people.

At VillageReach, proximity is multi-dimensional. It must mean nearness in a relationship as well as nearness in space and time. Shared ownership allows organizations to truly see and represent the individuals they serve.

Social entrepreneurs have become skilled at finding creative ways to bridge geographic proximity. In Malawi, we are building on a rich history of leapfrogging technologies that can overcome distance in low-resource settings. Data capture and analysis are helping ensure the right health products are available at the right time in the right places. UAVs are being tested to address the availability of blood in emergencies, access to routine health products, and early diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease. Ultimately, these technologies will help create a more responsive health system that can better manage current and emerging public health threats.

One thing that I have learned from my work with the adolescents leading Izizi is the importance of this relational and social aspect of proximity. Going out into the community and listening, really listening, is essential to my job at VillageReach. When I talk with a health worker or sit with a group of adolescents, I am reminded in ways both subtle and not-so-subtle of the power of proximity in our work.

Read the full article about the power of proximity by Alinafe Kasiya at VillageReach