Dear CORE Group Members,

As we move through the early months of 2026, we continue to navigate a dynamic and evolving global health landscape. During this time, the strength of the CORE Group community remains clear. Our network continues to serve as a vital space for connection, collaboration, and shared learning, advancing community health and health equity worldwide.

In this edition, we are pleased to highlight our members, share inspiring stories from across our network, showcase key programmatic updates and initiatives, our newest staff, and past and upcoming events. These contributions reflect the resilience, leadership, and innovation of our members, who are driving meaningful impact in communities around the world.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to fostering collaboration, elevating community-driven approaches, and strengthening partnerships that support sustainable health outcomes.

Together, we move forward—resilient, connected, and committed.

Warm regards,

Lisa Hilmi

Executive Director, CORE Group

Join global experts and community leaders to explore solutions shaping the future of humanitarian and emergency health.

Why This Matters?



Global crises are growing more complex, and the communities bearing the greatest burden can't afford to wait. As donor priorities shift and instability rises, the gap between humanitarian response and sustainable, community-led health systems has never been more urgent to close.

On April 30, 2026, CORE Group convenes a landmark hybrid session to officially launch the Humanitarian Health Working Group (HHWG) — a bold step toward moving beyond traditional relief models and building the resilient, community-centered health architecture the world needs. This convening brings together government officials, multilateral donors, implementing partners, and frontline health leaders to define a roadmap for sustained health delivery in the world's most fragile settings.



Featuring distinguished speakers from Kenya and around the world, this convening will spotlight community-centered approaches, emerging challenges, and innovative solutions in complex and crisis-affected settings, including ensuring continuity of maternal and newborn care in humanitarian and crisis contexts, strengthening service delivery in fragile states, and the evolving role of digital health and AI in emergency response. Speakers will draw on frontline experience from the Ministry of Health in Kenya, International Rescue Committee, the World Bank, and the MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience project to share what is working, what needs to change, and where the greatest opportunities for collective action lie.

Attendees will hear opening remarks from Lisa Hilmi, Executive Director of CORE Group. The convening will be moderated by Dr. Cecilliah Mbaka, a medical doctor and humanitarian health leader at CARE, and Ricardo Echalar, an infectious disease epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in humanitarian and emergency health preparedness and response, both serving as co-chairs of the newly relaunched Humanitarian Health Working Group.

Meet Our Speakers:

• Janette Karimi — Maternal & Newborn Health Focal Person, Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Linda Mobula — Senior Health Specialist, World Bank
• Sarah Mtonya — Deputy Director, Health, International Rescue Committee
• Joseph Obure — MIHR Senior Technical Director, MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience (MIHR)

Additional speakers to be announced.

Joining us from the DC/DMV area?



Come experience it in person at the CORE Group Office (1828 L St. NW, Washington, DC | Grand Canyon Conference Room). Connect directly with field leaders, discover partnership and career opportunities, and engage in meaningful networking over lunch.

Register In-Person: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhekk4

Space is limited to approximately 90 participants, so secure your spot early.

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Register to join us virtually from wherever you are. Open to all global health practitioners, partners, and advocates.



Register Virtually: https://tinyurl.com/4synxvy7

Don't miss this landmark conversation. Reserve your spot today.

WELCOMING OUR NEWEST STAFF

Tambudzai Magwenzi

We are pleased to welcome Tambudzai Magwenzi as CORE Group’s new Membership Coordinator. In her role, Tambudzai supports our global network of community health practitioners and partners, strengthening collaboration, knowledge sharing, and participation across our diverse membership.

She brings extensive experience in global health advocacy, partnership coordination, and youth leadership development, with a strong background in advancing community-led initiatives and inclusive policy engagement. Tambudzai is passionate about fostering meaningful connections and supporting a vibrant, engaged membership community.

World Immunization Week | April 24–30, 2026

This week, CORE Group, in partnership with John Snow Inc and Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), joins the global community in celebrating World Immunization Week under this year's theme: "For every generation, vaccines work."

Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives, protecting individuals, families, and communities from deadly diseases worldwide.

As community health champions, we encourage our members and network to share immunization resources, counter vaccine hesitancy, and reinforce the life-saving power of vaccines in the communities you serve.

Campaign details and resources are coming soon — stay tuned and join us in spreading the word this April 24–30!

The 2026 International Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Summit, taking place June 22–26, 2026, in Panama City, Panama, will serve as a leading global platform for advancing sustainable social and behavior change.

The Summit will convene practitioners, researchers, and community leaders from around the world to share innovative strategies, foster collaboration, and strengthen approaches that drive meaningful and lasting change across sectors.

CORE Group is exploring opportunities to engage in the Summit, including a potential side event, as part of its ongoing commitment to advancing social and behavior change globally. Additional details on CORE Group’s participation will be shared in the coming weeks.

CORE GROUP UPDATES

From March 23–30, 2026, CORE Group's Executive Director, Lisa Hilmi, participated in meetings in Geneva convened by the World Health Organization's Human Reproduction Programme (HRP). These gatherings brought together global experts, policymakers, and partners to guide research priorities and strengthen coordination in sexual and reproductive health.

Through its advisory and governing bodies, including the Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC), HRP plays a critical role in advancing evidence-based approaches and shaping global health agendas. CORE Group's engagement in these discussions reflects our continued commitment to collaboration, knowledge exchange, and advancing community-centered solutions in reproductive health worldwide.

CORE Group relaunched the Humanitarian Health Working Group as a collaborative platform for members engaged in humanitarian response and emergency health across crisis-affected settings.

As humanitarian needs continue to grow and funding landscapes evolve, the Working Group provides a space for learning, coordination, and technical exchange to strengthen evidence-informed, community-driven approaches.

Through this platform, members will exchange practical tools and field-based experiences, discuss emerging priorities and funding dynamics, and identify opportunities for collaboration and joint learning.

The Working Group is co-chaired by Dr. Cecilliah Mbaka, a medical doctor and humanitarian health leader with experience across emergency response and health systems strengthening in fragile settings at CARE, and Ricardo Echalar, an infectious disease epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in humanitarian and emergency health preparedness and response.

On January 21, 2026, CORE Group hosted an in-person Open House and Networking Event to kick off the year of collaboration, partnership, and innovation.

The event brought together members, partners, and colleagues for an engaging afternoon focused on building connections and strengthening relationships across the global health community.

Participants had the opportunity to meet the CORE Group team, learn about upcoming initiatives, reconnect with peers, and expand their professional networks in a welcoming and energizing environment.

On February 17, 2026, CORE Group hosted a members-only virtual gathering designed to spark connection, collaboration, and forward-looking dialogue across its global community.

The interactive session brought together organizations from across the network to exchange ideas, explore shared priorities, and learn more about CORE Group’s strategic direction for the year ahead.

Featured member organizations included Americares, Africa Health Budget Network, Stanford Digital Health, WARDI Relief and Development Initiative (Somalia), Rwenzori for Research and Advocacy, and Hesperian Health Guides. Presenters shared insights into their work, priorities for 2026, and opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing.

On March 17, the CORE Group RMNCAH Working Group hosted a webinar exploring lessons from neonatal resuscitation training programs in Guinea, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Roth-Kleiner, Founder and President of Souffle2Vie and Head of Neonatology at CHUV in Lausanne, led an engaging discussion on strengthening neonatal care through training, mentorship, and research. Drawing from his work in Guinea, he shared practical insights on improving newborn survival and advancing national efforts in neonatology.

On March 25, 2026, the CORE Group Nutrition Working Group hosted a webinar exploring how nutrition programs can be effectively implemented at the intersection of humanitarian response and long-term development.

The session highlighted practical experiences from Mali and Ethiopia, sharing lessons on strengthening nutrition programming in complex and fragile contexts. As practitioners navigate the humanitarian–development nexus, the discussion offered real-world perspectives on integrating nutrition interventions across emergency and long-term systems to improve program delivery and impact.

Featured speakers included Nancy Stroupe, PhD (Corus International), Hazara Ouedraogo (Corus International), Adugna Kebede Yimam (Action Against Hunger USA), and Hailu Gebisa (Action Against Hunger USA), who shared insights from their work across diverse settings.

On March 31, 2026, CORE Group hosted a learning webinar exploring how innovative ideas are transformed into real-world impact through social enterprise, digital innovation, and community-led health solutions.

The session brought together teams from the 2024 CORE Group Pitch Challenge—our fifth cohort of the Invest in Social Enterprise and Impact initiative—alongside their mentors to share how ideas evolved from concept to implementation. Featured innovations included the Diversity Health App (Uganda), the Kuhenza Child Case Management Application (Kenya), and the Strong Enough Girls Initiative (Nigeria).

Participants gained practical insights on adapting innovations, navigating real-world challenges, and advancing community-driven, digitally enabled solutions across diverse settings.

On April 14, 2026, CORE Group proudly co-hosted a virtual book launch with Hesperian Health Guides and the International Bureau for Epilepsy, celebrating the release of Epilepsy and Seizures: Building Care in the Community — a groundbreaking new resource designed to support people living with epilepsy and strengthen community-based care worldwide.

The 60-minute webinar brought together an international panel of contributors, including individuals living with epilepsy, advocates, and clinicians from diverse settings. Moderated by co-author Aditi Malhotra, the discussion highlighted practical approaches to improving epilepsy care and advancing community-level support systems, with insights drawn from 145+ partners across 25 countries who contributed to the resource.

Missed the event? A recording will be available soon — stay tuned!

MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Stanford Center for Health Education |Digital Medic

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, remain the leading cause of death globally. While community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role as trusted frontline providers, many lack access to specialized training in cancer prevention, early detection, and care.

To help address this gap, the Stanford Center for Health Education | Digital Medic and CARE have partnered to develop a free Digital Medic course designed to strengthen CHWs’ skills in cancer education, early screening, and providing emotional support to patients and families. The course features short, mobile-friendly videos, practical case studies, and job aids, along with guidance on risk communication, screening, and early diagnosis.

This resource can be used to support online learning for CHWs, integrated into existing training programs, or shared through platforms such as WhatsApp and group learning sessions. By equipping CHWs with practical tools and knowledge, the course aims to strengthen community-level responses to cancer and improve early detection and care outcomes.

International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia (IPHC-E)

The International Institute for Primary Health Care – Ethiopia (IPHC-E), a CORE Group member, is expanding access to knowledge on Ethiopia’s primary health care system through its Resource Center and online repository.

The platform provides a range of resources, including government documents, research publications, and academic theses and dissertations, making critical information more accessible to practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. By centralizing these materials, the Resource Center supports learning, knowledge exchange, and evidence-informed decision-making across the health sector.

Through this initiative, IPHC-E is strengthening the availability and use of primary health care knowledge, enabling stakeholders to stay informed on best practices and contribute to improving health systems and outcomes in Ethiopia.

Helen Keller International

Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP)

Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP): Evidence Driving Women’s Health and Empowerment

As part of efforts to strengthen women’s health and informed decision-making, new research from the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs highlights key factors influencing modern contraceptive use among young married women in urban Ethiopia. The study underscores the role of trusted communication channels, including radio, in empowering women with knowledge and supporting informed reproductive health choices — reinforcing the importance of communication strategies that place women’s needs and agency at the center.

With a global network of over 300+ members, CORE Group is proud to champion the collective efforts driving progress in global health. We are continually inspired by the dedication, innovation, and impact of our members, and remain committed to elevating their voices and expanding their reach.

To explore the transformative work of our members and learn how they are advancing health equity worldwide, visit the link below.

OUR PROGRAMS

On February 26th, 2026, the CORE Group ZIP team hosted its third webinar titled "Integration Approaches in Humanitarian Immunisation Programmes". This webinar focused on how immunisation services are being integrated with other interventions to ensure children 0–5 years in conflict and crisis-affected areas are fully immunised and better served. We heard from speakers from Gavi and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) on the important role integration can play in strengthening immunisation outcomes and meeting the needs of missed communities. ZIP partners in Cameroon and South Sudan shared their experiences of combining nutrition and other services alongside immunisation, illustrating how these strategies strengthened programming, improved efficiency, and addressed urgent humanitarian needs. Our team was excited by rich insights, discussions, and questions raised by the participants representing 79 countries!

Watch the recording: 

• English version
• French version

CORE GROUP BULLETIN

International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference

CORE Group was pleased to participate in the International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 23–26, 2026. The convening brought together global partners and practitioners to exchange evidence, share best practices, and advance collective efforts to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

During the conference, CORE Group engaged with partners and stakeholders at its booth, fostering dialogue and strengthening connections across the network. 

CORE Group 2024 Annual Report

CORE Group’s 2024 Annual Report is available, highlighting key achievements, partnerships, and learning across our global network. The report captures how members and partners are advancing community health through collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based approaches in diverse settings. It also reflects on collective progress, ongoing challenges, and opportunities to strengthen impact moving forward.



For those who may have missed it, we encourage you to explore the full report.

We're Hiring!

CORE Group is seeking a professional for the following position:

Deputy Director and Technical Lead, CORE Group Partners Project (CGPP), Niger

Location: Niamey, Niger (with frequent travel to project-supported regions)

Requirements: This position is strictly open to local nationals in Niger

How to Apply:

Send a CV and expression of interest to info@thecgpp.org with the subject line: Deputy Director and Technical Lead – Niger – [Your Name]

Become a CORE Group Member!

By becoming a CORE Group member, you will: 

• Expand your network in international health by collaborating with our Community Health Network, which has over 15,000 participants around the world 
• Strengthen your technical capacities and skills by participating in our Mentorship Program and by staying current on the best tools, resources, and innovations through our working group channels, webinars, and newsletters 
• Influence the rapidly evolving global and country-level health issues by participating in leadership opportunities as a CORE Group Technical Working Group or Interest Group co-chair