
February 5th marked the kick-off for the new, two-year collaboration. SEAD hosted a welcome dinner during the Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi. Over 60 people attended the dinner, including SEAD Innovators, USAID officials, investors, corporations, academics, and regional nonprofit organizations. The dinner was the first of several regional events SEAD plans to host to engage this diverse range of stakeholders in the region in supporting global health innovation in East Africa, particularly in support of female entrepreneurs and supporting innovations that will improve the lives and health of women and girls. SEAD also aims to enhance collaboration in East Africa with the other HESN Development Labs through this regional expansion.
During the dinner, SEAD was pleased to introduce Patricia Odero, East Africa Regional Director for SEAD, based in Nairobi, and Sylvia Sable, Project Associate for SEAD. Sylvia will be working with Patricia to open SEAD’s office in East Africa and begin building the relationships that will drive the mission of the collaboration forward. In addition to developing partnerships with local funders, corporations, and universities to help build a stronger and more cohesive health innovation ecosystem, Patricia will also work with SEAD Innovators to advise and assist them in their efforts to scale and strengthen their work in the region. Through this work, SEAD will be able to deliver insights that will build knowledge and understanding among the broader global health community.
For any questions about the East Africa collaboration, please contact Patricia Odero.