How One Nigerian State Overcame Vaccine Hesitancy and Eradicated Polio

The Shelby County Voter Alliance, who was used to using publicly available information to run get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives, pivoted to door-knocking to increase vaccination rates. Using a grant from Civic Nation’s Made to Save initiative, SCVA went to people’s homes to answer questions about vaccines and let them know about community vaccination pop-ups. They worked with local churches and set up at a Juneteenth celebration, where vaccines were offered. While canvassing, volunteers use a “research-based script” from Made to Save that especially helps them talk with “hesitant people.”

The University of Arizona's student-run CUP women's clinic provides free preventive and primary care to uninsured Southern Arizona women. In 2025, they served 61 unique patients, a 35% increase from the prior year, and trained future physicians in community-based medicine and health equity.

Trans Houses are community shelters created by and for trans women in Bolivia that offer comprehensive health services, psychological support, legal assistance, and entrepreneurship opportunities, evolving from basic assistance spaces into collective emancipation platforms that have served over 2,500 people across four cities and are expanding as a replicable model of social transformation. This story is available in Spanish here: https://solu.news/1qka

Since 2017, the Defeat TB (tuberculosis) program supported by USAID introduced a patient contact tracing program in Uganda wherein health workers and facilitators have been trained to trace a patient with multidrug-resistant TB back to their community to screen family members, conduct tests, and refer them for Xrays or treatment if needed. Introduced in the Mulago referral hospital, the program has since expanded to 16 other centers. Along with counseling, follow-ups, and provision of food assistance, it has helped increase the TB detection and treatment rate over the years.

Different chapters of the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association came together to form the National Malaria Elimination and Sensitisation Project or NMESP in 2021 wherein 433 of their members volunteered to carry out outreach work. They collaborated with local churches, youth groups, and the local health centers to reach the community. In 46 days, they had spread malaria awareness in about 38 communities and tested 523 people with Rapid Diagnostic Test kits. They also prescribed medications, and distributed free repellents and insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

Once regarded as the region in Sao Paulo with the highest number of COVID-19 deaths, Brasilandia residents mobilized their community to create a volunteer solidarity network that encouraged people to stay at home. The effort started with just a handful of participants but grew to over 200 volunteers with each new addition joining an action plan team that utilized a different form of campaigning, such as music or art. Since the implementation of the network Brasilandia "went from 1st to 2nd highest number of COVID-19 related deaths in the city."

To limit exposure during coronavirus testing, South Korea began piloting drive-thru test sites that allow those being tested to remain in their cars. The drive-thru, which sends results to the patient via text message three days later, has tested nearly 400 people in one day, helping to ease pressure oncovi other testing sites.

The University of Arizona's Commitment to Underserved People (CUP) program operates 12 student-run free clinics that provide comprehensive medical, mental health, and social support services to Tucson's unhoused and uninsured residents. In 2024 they served 525 patients while simultaneously training the next generation of community-minded physicians.

Ubuntu-Afya Kiosks are a network of 25 community health centers in rural Kenya developed by Afya Research Africa. By combining community savings groups and public-private partnerships, these 24-hour primary healthcare centers have served over 300,000 individuals and continue to connect with underserved populations.

There are 10 safe injection sites in Toronto, Canada. At each location, nurses are present to assist in intravenous drug use to prevent disease transmission and overdoses. Visitors can access mental health services, health care, and medication-assisted addiction treatment if they choose to.