As 2024 draws to a close, mothers2mothers (m2m) President & CEO, Frank Beadle de Palomo, shares some of our most notable accomplishments of the year.

As I reflect on everything mothers2mothers (m2m) accomplished this year, the word that comes to mind is progress. We made great progress in expanding our scale, scope, and impact across sub-Saharan Africa in 2024 as we crossed the mid-point of our five-year strategic plan. This included launching direct services in our 11th country of operation; exponentially expanding our reach in two countries, including securing our largest-ever award; amplifying frontline voices globally in support of more community-led, people-centred approaches that work; and forging new partnerships to strengthen health systems.

Last, but not least, this year provided unequivocal evidence of something we have long known to be true—the power of community-based solutions like our peer-based model and investment in African women as paid community health workers to improve health and opportunity for people everywhere. At the top of our Top 10 list is an incredible milestone that demonstrates the power and potential of our model to end AIDS and tackle other critical health conditions. We also made progress expanding our scope in line with our strategic plan, to provide integrated primary health care services to both end HIV and tackle life-threatening health issues that disproportionately affect those living with HIV. Our determination to address the most pressing health needs of the communities we serve is stronger than ever. We are confident that we can deliver this because, as we see each and every day—when women lead, they achieve remarkable results for themselves, their families, and their communities.  

Our top 10 highlights of 2024: 

#1 The Power of Zero: Together with our partners, m2m achieved a remarkable milestone once thought to be impossible: An incredible 0% rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) among our enrolled clients in 2023. While it is the first time this rate has been 0%, 2023 is the 10th consecutive year that m2m has recorded virtual elimination of MTCT (a rate of 5% or under). This was one of the exciting findings in our 2023 Annual Programme Review released earlier this year, which demonstrates the power and potential of our model to deliver remarkable health outcomes at scale through targeted interventions and our community-based approach.  

 #2 Sannu Nigeria!: m2m launched direct services in Nigeria in July—bringing our countries of operation to 11, including two now in West Africa. Our team of 45 Mentor Mothers is delivering services in 26 sites located around the country’s capital, Abuja—with a focus on integrated primary healthcare services for children living with, or exposed to, HIV and their caregivers. Additionally, m2m is working with government agencies and other stakeholders to help build a more robust and sustainable health system. Nigeria faces significant public health challenges—including a 23% mother-to-child HIV transmission rate in 2023 and maternal and child mortality rates that are among the highest in the world. We’re excited to say sannu (hello) to Nigeria and begin making a difference in this vibrant country.

#3 Major Country Expansions: Following a competitive bidding process, m2m Lesotho was selected as the lead implementing partner for Bokamoso—a five-year, country-wide project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that is m2m’s largest-ever award, highlighting trust in m2m’s ability to manage large-scale initiatives. Launched on the 1st of October, the project is focused on improving the health and well-being of orphans and vulnerable children, adolescent girls, and young women, as well as their caregivers, families, and communities. In its first year, Bokamoso aims to support approximately 80,900 individuals with a team of 500 employed and trained frontline staff. 

Earlier this year, m2m also significantly expanded our reach in Zambia with a major new five-year project—the USAID Zambia Integrated Health (ZIH) Activity—implemented by a consortium of partners led by Pact. As a key partner, m2m is delivering integrated primary healthcare services designed to end HIV and reduce preventable deaths—spanning HIV prevention and care, tuberculosis (TB), family planning, early childhood development, and broader maternal and child health services. We are also helping to strengthen Zambia’s health system by providing technical assistance. 

#4 Raising our Voice on the Global Stage: m2m made our presence known at two major global events this year. During the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week in New York City in September, Bupe Sinkala—m2m Spokeswoman and community health worker (CHW) from Zambia—made a powerful case for more paid and professional CHWs. Her remarks reached policy, government, and business leaders at events hosted by USAID, the World Bank, Africa CDC, Johnson & Johnson, and the Business Council for International Understanding. We also hosted an event at Goals House in partnership with Cartier Philanthropy that explored how we can deliver real change for girls and young women by focusing on community-based solutions that work. Bupe and m2m Chief Growth Officer Emma France were joined by a group of esteemed panelists, including Her Excellency Toyin Ojora-Saraki, founder-president of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa; m2m Ambassador, actor, and activist Sabrina Elba; and Tsehaitu “Tubi” Retta from the Obama Foundation.   

m2m was also out in full force at the 2024 International AIDS Conference in Munich, Germany, in July—amplifying frontline voices; challenging stereotypes through art; and speaking in multiple sessions. We also hosted a satellite session, Radical Honesty and Bold Solutions to End AIDS with support from Gilead Sciences, Inc.,  moderated by Christine Stegling, Deputy Executive Director at UNAIDS. The key takeaway: Building a more inclusive, innovative, and compassionate global HIV response by putting people first is essential. m2m Lesotho Country Director, Mpolokeng Mohloai, said it best: “There’s no such thing as hard-to-reach people… only hard-to-get services.”   

#5 Expanding our Scope: m2m continued to expand our scope beyond HIV this year, in line with our strategic goal to provide integrated primary healthcare services to both end HIV and tackle life-threatening health issues that disproportionately affect those living with HIV. That included expanding our work on tuberculosis (TB)—which is the main cause of death among people living with HIV—with our first-ever TB-focused programme to improve awareness, testing, and treatment of TB in South Africa. We also integrated TB services into our work in Lesotho and Uganda.  

m2m was proud to see our work promoting the uptake of human papillomavirus vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in Malawi featured in The Guardian earlier this year. With the risk of cervical cancer up to six times higher for women living with HIV, creating demand for the vaccine is critical in Malawi—which has among the highest rates of HIV and deaths from cervical cancer. 

#6 Strengthening Health Systems: We advanced another strategic goal in 2024 to make health systems more effective and better resourced through partnerships. Among the highlights: We were proud to be invited by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to serve on the Continental Coordination Mechanism for CHWs, with a mandate to advise on the development of policy, guidelines, and standard operating procedures for initiatives across African Union (AU) member states. This is in support of the AU’s target of deploying two million more CHWs by 2030. We also partnered with national and sub-national governments in six countries to strengthen health systems in key service areas, including HIV, maternal health, and immunisation. 

#7 Fast Action in the Face of Cholera: m2m demonstrated the agility of our peer-based model with our response to the devastating cholera outbreak in Zambia, which has been fueled by extreme weather from the climate crisis. m2m introduced cholera education to provide clients with life-saving information on prevention and treatment measures. And, if we were unable to provide in-person services in the community, m2m quickly increased our ability to reach clients remotely through phone calls and text messages, chatbots, and WhatsApp groups to ensure uninterrupted access to health education and vital services when they are needed most.  

#8 The Power of Mothers: In November, The Mothers’ Ball returned to the iconic V&A South Kensington in London, delivering another unforgettable celebration of the Power of Mothers and the vibrancy of the African continent. The event was hosted by Team Great Britain Olympian Perri Shakes-Drayton, and featured performances by Natalie Rushdie, The Zulu Stomp, ELIZA, and Cuppy. Guests heard the inspiring stories of three m2m clients and the woman who transformed each of their lives: m2m Mentor Mother Bupe Sinkala from Zambia, who was in London for the event. The evening was a poignant testament to the power of women to change lives. 

#9 Reaching New Heights: m2m achieved some other big milestones this year. The number of jobs we created for local women living with HIV over the last 23 years topped 12,000, and the number of individuals that they have reached rose to more than 16 million. Furthermore, the number of at-risk women and children we have helped keep alive is over three million.  

#10 Partnerships: m2m is built on partnerships. That includes the trusted partnerships that m2m Mentor Mothers form with their clients, health centre staff, and communities. Equally important are the partnerships with new and longstanding donors and supporters that drive our work and enable us to continue to expand in scale, scope, and impact. We are incredibly grateful for all of these partnerships and know what a profound role they have played in making us the organisation we are today.