President Bill Clinton met with Craig Nakagawa of VillageReach at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2006. VillageReach pledged to assess new countries for replicating their health systems strengthening program in Mozambique, which provides medical supplies and vaccines to 251 clinics serving over 5 million people. They selected Malawi for further review and had initial discussions with the Malawi Ministry of Health about adapting their model to address issues like low rates of access to medical treatments.

1. President Bill Clinton with Craig Nakagawa, Acting President of VillageReach,
noting our commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative, September 20, 2006 in New York City
VillageReach is honored to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative in 2006 and 2007.
As a result of our participation in 2006, we pledged to assess new countries for potential replication of our
health systems strengthening program. We call this project VillageReach Global.
VillageReach is building on our successful program in Mozambique, which impacts over 5 million people in an
area the size of New York State. Together with FDC, our Mozambican partner organization, the program is
serving 251 clinics with reliable delivery of immunizations, medical supplies, and propane. Our work has
increased the vaccination rate for children under one year of age by 47% in one province and reduced vaccine
stockouts from 80% to under 5%.
Between September 2006 and September 2007, we made significant and exciting progress on VillageReach
Global. After reviewing more than 10 countries for potential replication, we are now in early conversations with
the Malawi Ministry of Health. VillageReach staff traveled to Malawi in August for initial discussions and we
anticipate doing a full assessment of their health system later in the fall of 2007.
Our goal is to develop sustainable interventions that strengthen logistics and
transportation and reduce stockouts of medicines, vaccines, and supplies in rural
clinics. VillageReach will design and initiate these interventions jointly with the Ministry
of Health.
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa with 13 million people covering
an area the size of Pennsylvania. Malawi has significant need for improvement in its
procurement and distribution of medicines and medical commodities. Just over one-
third of the children under age five who need oral rehydration for diarrheal symptoms
are receiving it. Only 35% of children under age five sleep under a treated mosquito
net to prevent malaria. And of the children who exhibit malarial symptoms, a mere 32%
of them receive antimalarial drugs.
All of these statistics illustrate the need for improved logistics and transport within
Malawi’s health system. Our goal is to partner with the Ministry of Health to create
sustainable changes that improve the lives of all Malawians.
We are pleased to report that The Stavros Niarchos Foundation provided significant funding
for this early stage of VillageReach Global.