Executive Summary

In Kenya, 70,000 mothers and children die each year. Marginalized communities bear the highest burden of loss–just 15 of Kenya’s 47 counties contribute to 98.7% of maternal deaths. Two Kenyan-led organizations—Lwala Community Alliance and Dandelion Africa—believe that communities themselves are the largest untapped resource in combating maternal and infant mortality. Together, we will scale community-led health to save the lives of mothers and babies across three high-burden counties in Kenya, reaching 3 million people.

The community-led health model has four components: community health committees provide accountability and new ideas for solving problems; professionalized community health workers deliver services and build trust in the health system; health facilities are trained and equipped to offer high-quality, dignified care; and data enables evidence-based decision-making. This model will result in increased skilled delivery, antenatal and postnatal care, immunization coverage, and treatment of childhood illnesses–and nearly 1 million women and infants will experience a safer pregnancy, delivery, and first year of life. We are also on a mission to transform health care for all 47.5 million people in Kenya by changing systems and policies that improve maternal and newborn health.

Organizations may provide budget and employee data based on this proposal or the organization as a whole. For more information on this proposal or organization, please email us.