VillageReach

VillageReach is a non-profit social enterprise that believes every individual deserves access to quality healthcare. Founded in 2000, its mission is to save lives and improve well being in developing countries by increasing last-mile access to healthcare and investing in social businesses that address gaps in health and community infrastructure.  VillageReach’s model improves access to healthcare by providing a logistics platform to facilitate delivery of medical supplies and by starting and managing social businesses to improve local infrastructure.  It collaborates with governments, communities and other global health organizations to extend the reach of health services in measurable, transparent, scalable and sustainable ways. Since it was established, VillageReach has been led by a team of dedicated global health and business professionals and supported by a dynamic group of partners, board members and volunteers. VillageReach’s headquarters are located in Seattle, Washington with field offices in Maputo, Mozambique and Balaka, Malawi. What They Do VillageReach has built deep expertise in improving health system performance at the service delivery level, where health services are provided.  In remote, rural communities with limited power, transportation and communications, health workers find it challenging to  address  the  needs  of  the  large,  distributed  populations  for which  they’re responsible. In these  settings, VillageReach serves as  a  catalyst to strengthen and improve the  performance  of health systems  by applying a comprehensive approach that  includes  strengthening health service delivery, enhancing information systems, and investing in social businesses operated by the local community that provide the infrastructure needed to support the health system and other local activities.   In each of these areas,  VillageReach  partners  with  governments, local communities  and  other  non-governmental organizations to establish a foundation  of  support  services to improve health system effectiveness and efficiency. VillageReach focuses its activities to achieve improvements in the following key areas: Increase Health Workers Productivity and Capacity Low- and middle-income countries face significant challenges  in building and   retaining   a  sufficient   health  workforce.  Many  of VillageReach’s  activities  are  directed  at  increasing the productivity and job satisfaction of health  workers by improving the support systems that provide management, training,  supplies and infrastructure for  this  workforce. Improve the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Health Service Delivery Health systems in resource-constrained environments often struggle to deliver care to the  most rural and remote villages where the need is greatest. VillageReach  maximizes the effectiveness  of  healthcare by improving the reliability and cost efficiency of services  provided, as well as, the safety and  timeliness of commodities and medicines administered. Extend the Reach of Health Services The majority of low- and  middle-income  country  populations live in rural areas with the least developed healthcare delivery infrastructure.   By focusing   on rural   and  Community-based health   services,   and   infrastructure  improvement, VillageReach strengthens  the health system overall,  thereby  expanding access and extending the reach and reliability of primary  health  services. Increase Trust in and Use of Health Services Over   time,  as  healthcare quality improves, communities come to trust and  rely on the health system, thereby improving the overall health of the community.  By improving productivity, effectiveness  and  reach, VillageReach  seeks to increase the communities’ use of and satisfaction in health services.