Building on over a decade of supporting budget advocacy campaigns and following the success of last year’s civil society organization (CSO) capacity strengthening project, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) has launched our second cohort of the Advocacy Accelerator.
This year’s program, which started on September 9, 2025, will focus on sustainable domestic budget allocation for health security as well as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including tobacco control, mental health, cardiovascular health, road safety and drowning prevention — because government investments in public health are vital to driving health progress and prosperity.
According to the World Health Organization, every year 43 million lives are claimed by NCDs like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory conditions and suicide—often in countries least equipped to respond. Injuries, especially from road crashes and drowning, further compound this health crisis. Despite this overwhelming burden, only 1-2 percent of global health funding is directed toward NCDs.
To tackle this, each CSO will assess their local context to develop a budget advocacy capstone project, with funding and mentorship from GHAI. Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) is providing support with the health security track.
After a rigorous evaluation process of 618 applications which included subject matter experts and country experts from across GHAI, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) and RTSL, two individuals each from12 organizations across 11 African and Asian countries were chosen to join the Accelerator.
At this critical juncture of dwindling international health funding, these 24 advocates are charting a new trajectory for low- and middle-income countries: navigating domestic budget systems and unlocking sustainable resources within their own nations and states.
Meet the 2025-26 Advocacy Accelerator Cohort and what they hope to learn
Cardiovascular Health
PAKISTAN – Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI)
Faisal Manzoor Anwar
“I want to learn how to do stronger budget advocacy in health, especially for epidemic preparedness and resource mobilization. I also want to understand better how to plan and carry out a capstone project that can bring real impact in my country. Interaction with CSOs across the globe will give me the chance to exchange lessons learned, share new ideas and adopt best practices.”
Shahzad Iqbal
“I am looking forward to enhancing my skills on practical usability of budget advocacy in Pakistan. This engagement also helps me learn from experiences of participants from all around the world and incorporate those learning into our work in Pakistan.”
Drowning Prevention
BANGLADESH – Somosti Media Communication & Development Foundation
Rezaul Haque: “I’d like to take away from the accelerator advanced knowledge of public financial management, along with strengthened research and analytical skills to translate complex budget issues into clear and compelling advocacy messages for policymakers and the public.”
Masrur Zaman: “I’d like to learn innovative approaches to linking media advocacy with budget reform, especially in underfunded areas of public health and governance.”
Health Security
LIBERIA – Healthcare Federation of Liberia
Alexander V. Gotomo: “I am looking forward to strengthening my skills on budget advocacy, learning new advocacy strategies, opportunities, and implementation skills from this advocacy accelerator program.”
K. Tiala Korkpor Mulbah: “My primary objective of this CSO budget advocacy accelerator program is to strengthen my skills to effectively translate advocacy strategies into measurable policy reforms in Liberia.”
NIGERIA – Connected Development (CODE)
Abdulazeez Abdulmalik Hussaini: “I’d like to gain a better working knowledge of diverse health care sectors and better advocacy skills.”
Hyeladzira James Mshelia: “What excites me most about this accelerator is the opportunity to sharpen my skills in advanced budget advocacy, especially learning how to better translate technical fiscal data into compelling, people-centered narratives.”
UGANDA – Living Goods Uganda
Amy Kakiza Rwakihembo: “I’d like to understand the intricacies of Public Financial Management and relevant tools and frameworks to develop system change milestones for tracking and accountability.”
Richard Muhumuza: I’d like to deepen my understanding of the national budget cycle, sharpen my ability to translate evidence into compelling investment cases, and strengthen stakeholder engagement to align health priorities with domestic resource mobilization efforts.”
Mental Health
BANGLADESH – SERAC Bangladesh
SM Shaikat: “I’d like to sharpen my ability to apply financial evidence and cost-effectiveness analysis in budget advocacy, with the goal of ensuring youth-led models like the VPL are sustainably financed within the public health system.”
Shahina Yasmin: “I am eager to learn practical strategies and insights that will help strengthen our ongoing work and create more impactful, sustainable change.”
KENYA – Health Rights Advocacy Forum Kenya
Bernice Kiragu: “I’d like to sharpen my skills for issue-based advocacy to mitigate the rising mental health burden in Kenya and enhance my skills in resource mobilization. Through interaction with the other CSOs from different countries, I will also identify new ideas and opportunities to harness my advocacy skills.”
Lordlaro Lidoros: “I hope to strengthen my skills in budget analysis and advocacy communications, especially in connecting evidence to policy influence for sustainable domestic financing for health and especially for mental health.”
ZIMBABWE – My Age Zimbabwe
Onward Gibson: “l would like to learn about data-driven youth-budget advocacy.”
Obedience Mazenge: “What excites me about this opportunity is the chance to strengthen my skills in budget advocacy and make a meaningful contribution to advancing domestic funding for health in Zimbabwe. I am passionate about driving youth-led engagement in public financing and promoting sustainable, locally driven solutions.”
Road Safety
CAMBODIA – AIP Foundation
Piseth Im: “For me, I hope to gain in depth skills of budget advocacy with more resources to explore more opportunities.”
VIETNAM – AIP Foundation
Phuong Luu: “I am looking forward to strengthen my skills in budget advocacy strategies and explore practical approaches for integrating them into my organization’s road safety initiatives.”
Tobacco Control
ETHIOPIA – Mathiwos Wondu-Ye Ethiopia Cancer Society (MWECS)
Tizita Wondwossen Desta: “I’d like to learn how to analyze government budgets and identify opportunities to advocate for increased allocation of resources toward sustaining public health priorities.”
Zelalem Mengistu Abate: “I’d like to learn how to strengthen policy and budget advocacy strategies by drawing on the experience of GHAI’s global mentors and specialists. I hope to gain practical insights into mobilizing domestic resources at national levels, and to apply these lessons in advancing sustainable, locally driven policy changes.”
GHANA – Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development
Godfred Tweneboah Kodua: “I’d like to learn practical strategies using budget advocacy in advancing domestic resource mobilization and increasing budget allocations for NCD prevention and care.”
Labram Musah: “I’d like to take away from the accelerator specific tools, ideas and skills that can actively be used as a concrete action to translate the session training outcomes into relevant health outcomes.”
NIGERIA – Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria
Dare Adaramoye: “I would like to deepen my knowledge and practical skills in budget analysis and budget tracking, with a focus on linking health and gender-sector budgets to community needs. My goal is to refine how Trailblazer Initiative Nigeria (TBI) engages policymakers with stronger, data-driven advocacy that translates into tangible resource allocation for women, children, and vulnerable groups.”
Oyedeji Aishat: “I would like to deepen my knowledge and practical skills in budget analysis, tracking, and advocacy, particularly how to translate complex financial data into compelling evidence that influences policy decisions for improved health and gender outcomes.”
