Access to quality healthcare for all communities in a scalable and sustainable way — that is at the heart of VillageReach’s mission. VillageReach (2006 Skoll Social Entrepreneur) focuses on the lowest levels of the pyramid and the last mile of the health system. "That’s really where the opportunity for impact is," said Emily Bancroft, VillageReach President, during a recent visit to the Skoll Foundation.

In Malawi, with its critical shortage of healthcare workers, the average amount of time spent with a nurse or doctor — if you’re fortunate enough to have access — is less than 60 seconds. "There are community health worker programs in rural Malawi, but they usually tend to cover 1,500 to 2,000 people, spread across a number of villages," said Bancroft. "There are so many tools available to help us access information and services in real time. Why can't Malawians expect the same care that we expect? Why can’t they also have efficient ways of accessing health information?"

A Malawian social entrepreneur and software developer — Soyapi Mumba — had the original idea for a community-based, free health hotline in Malawi. VillageReach partnered with Soyapi and his organization — Baobab Health Trust — to design and implement Chipatala cha pa Foni (Health Center by Phone), a toll-free health hotline to reach the most rural populations. Originally developed as a maternal and child health innovation, it now provides immediate information on all general health topics including nutrition. Hotline workers triage calls to doctors and refer callers for further care at a health center when needed. Women and caregivers can also sign up to receive personal text or voice messages on maternal and child health topics specific to their month of pregnancy or their child’s age. Simply put: This hotline saves lives.

Read the full article about VillageReach's sustainable health solutions by Zachary Slobig at Skoll.