Networking at Teach to Reach 11: Defying boundaries to share what works for health

# Health Leaders Report Valuable Exchanges in Teach to Reach Networking Session ## Structured Approach to Peer Learning The final session of Teach to Reach 11 on December 5, 2024, demonstrated the power of structured networking to facilitate meaningful knowledge exchange between health professionals. Participants engaged in focused small-group conversations. ## Benefits of Organizational Engagement The session highlighted four key benefits for participating organizations: - Recognition of real-world expertise through peer validation - Reciprocal learning opportunities regardless of organization size - Integration into a global platform and community - Skills development through active learning for staff and volunteers ## Cross-Border Knowledge Exchange Health leaders reported valuable cross-border exchanges in their breakout groups. A participant from India described productive discussions with colleagues from Ghana and Nigeria, leading to plans for continued collaboration: “We decided to connect with emails and personally in the group and then one-to-one interaction... If somebody is doing work on immunization in one part of the world, somebody else is also doing the same thing, so they can connect and discuss issues, barriers, and breakthroughs.” ## Solutions Through Connection Participants emphasized how networking enabled practical problem-solving. “If you have a particular issue that is difficult for you to solve, having the opportunity to discuss with one person, maybe he has strategies he adopted in his environment that can be suitable for you,” explained Usman Mohammed Tukor from Nigeria. He highlighted how these connections could strengthen responses to challenges like climate change impacts on health. ## Local Innovation Sharing The discussions surfaced innovative local approaches. Sadatu Kabir from Bauchi State, Nigeria, shared their community engagement structure: “We have a committee at the community level... and a community resource group called Mama to Mama that can go house to house to assess problems and needs.” This included creative solutions like an emergency transport system to improve healthcare access. ## Progressive Engagement The session’s structure—moving from brief introductions to increasingly longer discussions—allowed relationships to develop naturally. As Charlotte Mbuh from the facilitation team noted, “Even when starting with just introductions, participants quickly moved into deeper discussions about their work.” ## Platform for Continued Connection Beyond the live sessions, Teach to Reach introduced a new platform feature allowing participants to create profiles and maintain connections with over 15,000 health workers. This infrastructure supports ongoing peer learning and collaboration between live events. ## Looking Ahead The networking session concluded Teach to Reach 11’s main event, but participants were encouraged to maintain their connections through: - Upcoming special sessions, including a December 13 event with the Lancet Countdown - The Reach Leaders and Partners Network - The platform’s networking features - Future Teach to Reach events, with the 12th edition planned for March 2025 The success of this structured networking approach demonstrates how intentional connection-building between health professionals can catalyze knowledge sharing and practical innovation to address global health challenges.