The African Health Grid (AFHEG) Foundation—a beacon of health literacy and innovation—was born from a blend of personal inspiration and professional encounters. Its founder, Phillip Andrew Mwebaza, attributes the organization’s genesis to his mother’s unwavering compassion and commitment as a nurse. Her dedication to underserved communities, from prisons to remote areas, where she selflessly used her resources to provide essentials, left a lasting impression on Phillip. The joy and gratitude of those she served ignited in him a deep-seated desire to follow in her footsteps and foster a healthier society.
This drive was further honed during his university days when Phillip served as a peer educator with Reach a Hand Uganda. His work empowered young people with accurate health information, revealing the transformative potential of education and advocacy. Later, as a science reporter for NBS TV and a multimedia producer at the Media Challenge Initiative, Phillip identified a glaring gap in health communication: traditional methods often failed to resonate with youth. The need for engaging, youth-centric health education strategies became clear, laying the groundwork for AFHEG.
“I saw a lack of engaging, youth-centred approaches to health education. While health information was readily available in some forms, it was often presented in ways that were too technical or disconnected from the realities and interests of young people. Many communities, especially in urban areas like Kampala and Wakiso, were grappling with challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, poor climate-health literacy, and limited access to accurate health education. Traditional methods of communication weren’t resonating with the youth, leaving a critical void in awareness and advocacy,” Phillip recalls.
AFHEG’s mission—to empower young people with knowledge through innovative and interactive approaches—is both a continuation of his mother’s legacy and a response to a critical need in health advocacy.
Bridging Gaps with Innovation
One of the gaps Phillip identified was the lack of accessible, engaging health education tailored to young audiences. While health information was abundant, its technical presentation alienated many. Urban areas like Kampala and Wakiso faced unique challenges, including antimicrobial resistance and limited climate-health literacy. Recognizing this, Phillip launched programs like Smarty, a gamified learning hub addressing health and climate issues, and Superbugs Clash, a board game highlighting antimicrobial resistance. The Health Defenders Program further empowers youth through creative storytelling and advocacy.
On the funding front, the journey was challenging but rewarding. AFHEG’s initial efforts were self-funded, relying on personal savings and contributions from friends and family. Over time, strategic partnerships and a dedicated team of health communication professionals have enabled the foundation to maximize its impact. These collaborations have allowed AFHEG to reach over 10,000 people directly and over 35,000 digitally, solidifying its role in health education.
“AFHEG has primarily been self-funded, relying on my savings and contributions from friends and family who believed in the vision. Over time, we have been able to sustain our work through partnerships and collaborations with other organizations that align with our mission. Our lean and passionate team of health communication professionals, medical practitioners, and innovators also contributes significantly to the success of our initiatives, allowing us to maximize impact with limited resources,” he notes.
From Multimedia Producer to CEO: Challenges and Resilience
Transitioning from a multimedia producer to the CEO of AFHEG required Phillip to expand his skill set. While his media expertise in storytelling and creative content production laid a solid foundation, leading an organization demanded proficiency in strategic planning, fundraising, and operations management. Phillip embraced these challenges, leveraging mentorship and team support to guide AFHEG’s growth. Today, the organization stands as a testament to his leadership, impacting communities and inspiring youth.
AFHEG’s journey has not been without hurdles. Limited funding has been a persistent challenge, constraining the organization’s ability to scale programs and hire staff. Navigating bureaucratic obstacles and ensuring sustained relevance of health messaging in a dynamic landscape have also posed difficulties. Despite these challenges, the organization continues to innovate, using programs like Smarty and Superbugs Clash to engage youth meaningfully. Smarty is a digital learning hub which uses gamified learning to teach health and climate issues, and Superbugs Clash, is a collaborative board game to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance.
“While we’ve been fortunate to collaborate with various organizations, securing consistent and sufficient funding remains an ongoing challenge, limiting our ability to scale programs quickly and hire additional staff. Navigating the non-profit landscape in Uganda, especially in the health education and youth empowerment sectors, also comes with complexities. Working with government entities, local stakeholders, and community leaders sometimes involves bureaucratic hurdles that slow down progress, making it difficult to implement initiatives as efficiently as we’d like. Another challenge is keeping up with the dynamic nature of health needs. Issues like antimicrobial resistance and climate-health literacy require constant adaptation of our messaging and strategies,” Philip says.
Impactful Projects and Recognitions
AFHEG’s impact is evident through initiatives like the Smarty Program, which has reached over 500 students and aims to engage 20,000 more in the next three years. Superbugs Clash has educated thousands in Kampala and Wakiso about antibiotic misuse. Meanwhile, the Health Defenders Program is fostering leadership among young advocates, with a goal of impacting 400,000 individuals within five years.
The Phillip’s achievements have garnered recognition, including being the first runner-up at the Heroes in Health Awards (HIHA) organized by Uganda’s Ministry of Health. AFHEG also received the Media Innovation of the Year award at the Media Challenge Awards, underscoring its growing influence in health literacy.
Future Aspirations
Phillip envisions AFHEG expanding its reach across Uganda and Africa within the next five years. The foundation plans to impact over a million young people through strategic partnerships with health institutions, governments, and NGOs. A cornerstone of this vision is the African Health Grid Village, a hub for health innovation and subsidized healthcare services. This initiative aims to address Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) while fostering community collaboration.
“In the next five years, I envision AFHEG expanding significantly, both in terms of geographical reach and the scope of our programs. Our goal is to expand beyond Kampala and Wakiso, reaching rural areas across Uganda and extending to other African countries. Through collaborations with local and international organizations, we plan to scale our initiatives, particularly Smarty, Superbugs Clash, and the Health Defenders Program, to have a larger national and regional impact. We aim to forge stronger ties with international health networks, universities, and research institutions to enhance the quality and reach of our programs,” Philip reveals.
A Movement for Change
AFHEG also plans to introduce programs skilling the next generation of health communicators, ensuring sustainability and a continuous pipeline of informed advocates.
Phillip’s entrepreneurial approach to managing AFHEG emphasizes time management and prioritization. By carefully planning his schedule, he ensures that both day-to-day operations and long-term goals receive attention. This balance enables him to steer the company’s mission effectively.
He wants the world to recognize AFHEG as more than an organization but as a movement committed to building health-literate communities. Through programs that combine creativity, technology, and youth leadership, his organization fosters a generation of informed, engaged leaders ready to tackle pressing health and climate challenges.
In Phillip’s words, AFHEG embodies the power of collaboration and innovation to drive impactful change, inspiring hope for a healthier, sustainable future.
