More 'Navigators' Are Helping Women Travel to Have Abortions

Komfot Health operates a technology-driven network providing post-abortion care and sexual reproductive health services across Nigeria. The organization trains healthcare providers to address biases, uses a chatbot system for patient triage and connects women to verified medical facilities in six states, acting as intermediaries between women seeking care and trusted healthcare providers. Since launching in 2024, Komfot Health has served over 1,790 women.

Nègès Mawon works to empower women to fight back against violence and oppression through education and advocacy and focuses on access to safe abortion care. Through the organization’s sponsorship program, women who are also survivors of gender-based violence are partnering together to rise above the patriarchal system and advocate for themselves. Since last May, Nègès Mawon has supported more than 300 survivors of gender-based violence through the sponsorship program.

Worker-owned home-care cooperatives are emerging as an alternative to the for-profit agencies that dominate America's direct-care sector. In these cooperatives, professional caregivers earn an average of $2 more per hour than the industry standard, share in business decision-making, and stay on the job at nearly double the rate of workers at traditional agencies. Patients also stay with co-op agencies twice as long, suggesting higher satisfaction and quality of care.

Helpster Charity operates a tech-enabled emergency financing model that connects families facing urgent medical bills with donors through a website and app. The nonprofit uses volunteers stationed at partner health facilities to identify patients who can’t afford critical care for conditions like malaria, sickle cell anemia, and kidney problems. The organization has helped provide treatment for over 2,000 families across Nigeria, Kenya and Bangladesh.

Since June 2024, Nigeria's National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has implemented a comprehensive fistula intervention program that fully covers transportation, surgery, feeding, post-operative care and follow-up services at no cost to patients. In Kano State alone, 2,157 women have received treatment through the intervention, with facilities handling 30-50 patients monthly, a significant increase from pre-program levels.

Enugu State is addressing healthcare access gaps and high maternal mortality by establishing 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centers, with 100 already completed. These fully-equipped facilities provide 24-hour care with essential medications and reliable utilities. As part of the initiative, the Centers are also recruiting 2,200 healthcare workers, training over 1,800 staff members in safe delivery and contraceptive methods, introducing AI-assisted ultrasound screening and implementing affordable health insurance. Since opening in March 2025, one center alone has served over 690 people.

The Grassroots Smile Initiative provides complimentary cleft lip surgeries and associated care, including nutritional support, speech therapy and other treatments. Since 2005, the group has performed over 3,000 free surgeries, averaging about 150 to 200 patients each year.

Direct primary care clinics offer more affordable healthcare and direct access to doctors without added costs or long wait times. Though direct primary care isn’t a replacement for traditional insurance, it makes healthcare — including doctor visits, medications and even X-ray imaging — more accessible and affordable, particularly for those who can’t afford or qualify for traditional coverage.

The Attack Against Asthma initiative uses crowdfunding initiatives to purchase inhalers that are then distributed to university students with asthma. Since launching in 2023, the campaign has distributed over 700 inhalers in the country’s southwest region and has even extended support to people who aren’t students if they can provide proof of need.

RestoringVision addresses the global shortage of reading glasses by tackling supply and demand challenges. On the demand side, they partner with local NGOs and governments to provide vision screenings and free initial glasses, particularly for those in regions who either don’t know reading glasses are an option or don’t realize they’re losing their vision. On the supply side, they work to build retail networks and educate employers about productivity benefits, as workers receiving glasses show productivity increases up to 32%.