Our Vision and Values

Our vision is of a world where high-quality healthcare is accessible and affordable to all.

Our goal is to sustainably transform health and lives across the African continent.

Because we know that change is only sustainable when communities lead the way, we build and strengthen community-led, people-centred health systems – and we support the committed health workers who staff them.

And because we believe that where you are born should not determine how well or how long you live, we focus closely on the social determinants of health. This means everything in a person’s environment that can influence their health, for better or worse: factors like income, diet, access to clean water, the quality of the air in your neighbourhood, whether you are exposed to crime or violence, and whether you have education that enables you to understand and claim your rights.

Addressing the social determinants of health is crucial to building equitable health systems that are accessible to everyone.

What drives us

The belief that health is a human right underpins everything we do.

Good health is an end in itself – but being healthy also means people can pursue education, work to earn a living, participate in politics, spend time with friends and family, chase their personal and professional ambitions, and live the full lives that we all deserve.

Good health transforms individuals, households, and entire communities. Talking about rights can feel abstract: but when someone is able to exercise their right to health, it has a very real impact on every aspect of their lives.

We know that lasting change – meaningful, measurable change that endures over generations – is possible. In fact, it is already happening. And that change is being driven from within, by the nurses, doctors, midwives, community health workers, peer educators, youth advocates, lab technicians, researchers, policy-makers, and grassroots activists we support, who are building resilient and people-centred health systems in their countries.

“For universal health coverage to be universal, a shift is urgently needed from health systems designed around diseases and institutions to those designed around prioritisation of people.”

Dr Githinji Gitahi

Our values

Our work is underpinned by three core values that are respected across the Amref family:

Quality: Ensuring excellence is at the heart of our work across the continent – because everyone, everywhere, deserves high-quality care that is both accessible and affordable. Our programmes make a sustainable difference because they are developed in partnership with the communities we serve.

Integrity: We are committed to respecting the highest ethical standards in all our activities and relationships.

Ubuntu: The concept of ubuntu – compassion grounded in our shared humanity – is found across African countries and cultures. Although it is expressed differently, it comes down to the idea that what us good for one of us is good for us all.