Opal Health

Every year, an estimated 200,000 women and 1 million newborns die from preventable pregnancy-related complications in Africa. In over 70% of cases, the issue is not the absence of healthcare, but the delay in reaching it. 

Opal Health tackles this gap by implementing Participatory Learning and Action (PLA): a group-based intervention that brings women and their families together to assess their barriers to care and develop practical, low-cost solutions. Multiple studies show PLA can reduce maternal and neonatal deaths by up to 49%, with cost-effectiveness estimates roughly 5–10 times stronger than direct cash transfers. Opal Health works through government systems to bring this evidence-backed model to hard-to-reach communities in East Africa, maximising the lives saved per dollar spent.