Dear friends and colleagues,

Local partnerships and leadership have been at the heart of our work for more than 50 years. From supporting civil society organizations protecting democracy and advancing racial equity to collaborating with health ministries, researchers and clinicians to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, we are proud to partner with hundreds of local organizations around the world and in the United States.

FHI 360’s success in reducing rates of HIV transmission and combating tuberculosis outbreaks is directly linked to partnerships with community health organizations and workers on the ground. Advances in adolescent girls’ education — enabled in part by FHI 360 — belong first and foremost to those girls and to their communities. We listened to them, got to know them and earned their trust.

In this report, we celebrate the significant accomplishments we and our partners have made in the past year. Together, we have expanded freedom of choice for women around the world by ensuring their access to a hormonal IUD, regardless of where they live. We have continued to support one of our local partners in Malawi, Pakachere Institute of Health and Development Communication, which now receives funding directly from the U.S. Agency for International Development as a prime grant recipient in the fight against HIV. In the United States, young adults who were impacted by the criminal justice system are learning skills for in-demand jobs and launching their careers.

Building on FHI 360’s existing expertise, we can shift more authority, more control and more funding directly to the community groups closest to the problems that imperil the health and well-being of their families and neighbors. After all, creating lasting, sustainable solutions is the very definition of “good development” — and the evidence shows that to be lasting and sustainable, the solutions must be locally led.

FHI 360 remains committed to continuously examining our efforts, listening to the communities we work with, challenging ourselves to improve, and advancing local leadership in our own programs. I welcome you as you read about our work and hope that you will join us on this journey.

Warm regards,

Tessie San Martin, PhD, MS

Chief Executive Officer, FHI 360

Credit: Katherine Wise/FHI 360