Afya Research Africa is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a residual fund and an unrestricted grant from Women and Children First UK (WCF). This comes seven months after WCF, an organization that dedicated 25 years to supporting women and children worldwide to overcome health challenges, announced its closure.

This support arrives at a critical time, as girls and women continue to benefit from initiatives designed to empower them and help them reach their full potential. These initiatives include education and skills development, health and reproductive rights, advocacy for laws protecting women, and economic empowerment programs.

As we honour this selection, we also acknowledge WCF’s profound Impact in our previous partnership. Together, we reached thousands of women and children in Homabay and Siaya counties, working closely through our Ubuntu-Afya Kiosks.

Through the Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) model, adopted to identify and address health challenges, we collaborated with communities to find practical solutions. These PLA meetings grew into safe and empowering spaces, where young girls learned to understand and claim their sexual and reproductive health rights, gain confidence, and strengthen their ability to continue their education.

Receiving this contribution goes beyond just financial support and is a representation of a legacy build for decades. One shaped by years of dedication, evidence-based practice and a belief in community-led change. We see it as a gesture of trust and recognition of the impact of the work being done in the communities we serve.

We are deeply grateful to WCF for believing in our mission and vision.