Ashley Vij

Reflections on what stakeholder collaboration gets right—and what it needs next

When I led a multi-country initiative at USAID to accelerate the introduction of HIV prevention products, I saw firsthand how much energy and care goes into donor and stakeholder coordination. At every level—among donors, implementing partners, Ministries of Health, and civil society—there was a real desire to work together.

People wanted to coordinate.

There was goodwill. There was strong technical leadership. And there was a shared commitment to avoid duplication and help countries get lifesaving products to the people who need them as quickly as possible.

But coordination is hard. And one of the patterns I noticed over time is that it often concentrated at the top—among senior leaders, technical directors, and global conveners. That kind of alignment is essential. But real progress happens when coordination flows across all levels.

Global health moves on details: rollout plans, procurement shifts, timelines, training schedules. The closer we stay to that level of work, the more effective our collaboration can be.

Some of the most powerful coordination I saw came not from MOUs, but from simple, trusted, often whatsapp conversations:

“Are you also funding this Training of Trainers?”
“Can we co-develop that brief so the Ministry has all the information in one place?” 

That’s what practical partnership looks like.

At Root to Rise, we’re thinking deeply about what it means to be a good partner, especially in this era of shrinking resources for global health. For us, that means staying responsive, listening closely, and building relationships at every level—not just at the top.

Because in the end, coordination isn’t a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing practice. And we all have a role to play in making it stronger.