For Zambian alumna Jessica Mayenda, GHC helped her hone her leadership skills. Even more than that, the fellowship fundamentally changed how she shows up in the world.
When Jessica joined GHC’s 2017-2018 cohort, she was already working in health technology across Africa. But the fellowship gave her something she didn’t know she needed: permission to lead with her whole self.
“GHC taught me to listen actively, lead with love, and stay grounded in purpose even in complex environments,” Jessica reflects. “Leadership is as much about managing personalities and relationships as it is about controlling outcomes.”
That shift transformed her approach to scaling digital health solutions across East, Southern, and Western Africa. Now, when she’s working to expand telehealth platforms or digital triage tools, she leads with empathy first. The results are tangible. Digital health platforms she’s helped scale with VillageReach, like the Health Centre by Phone model, have been adopted into national health strategies across multiple countries. Communities that once struggled to access primary care can now connect to providers through innovations like health call centers. “It wasn’t just about the technology, but about co-creating solutions that people trusted and owned,” Jessica reflects.
The GHC community also gives Jessica confidence to shape the field at the highest levels. Through the connections she’s built within GHC’s global network, she now contributes to WHO consultations and digital health strategy sessions alongside senior leaders in the field. “The exposure GHC gave me to global health discourse has been invaluable,” she says. “It helped me find my voice.”
And that network keeps delivering. Jessica regularly meets fellow GHC alumni at conferences and convenings across the continent. “When you know someone not just as a professional contact but as a fellow leader shaped by shared values, it’s easier to build trust, mobilize support, and move work forward.”