Congratulations to the 2025 IGH-CW Seed Grant recipients!

The Institute for Global Health is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Seed Grant Competition. These projects address critical global health challenges through innovative, partnership-driven research.

Drs. Angela Koech (Aga Khan University), Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella (UBC), and Marianne Vidler (UBC) aim to co-design and pilot respectful bereavement care interventions for families experiencing stillbirth in Kenya through Project HESHIMA (Swahili for “dignity and respect”). Stillbirth remains a devastating and often overlooked outcome, and bereaved families frequently receive little emotional or psychosocial support. Working alongside parents with lived experience, community members, health providers, and health system leaders, the team will identify priorities and develop culturally appropriate approaches to bereavement care within hospital settings.

Drs. John Kanyonyozi (Association for Health Innovation in Africa) and Michael Hawkes (UBC) aim to evaluate a novel solar-powered oxygen-as-a-service model in rural Uganda. Medical oxygen is essential for treating life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia, yet reliable access remains a major challenge in many low-resource settings. Building on previous work demonstrating the effectiveness of solar-powered oxygen systems, the team will implement and assess a sustainable service model that combines on-site oxygen generation, cylinder filling, equipment maintenance, and staff mentorship.

We congratulate the recipients and look forward to following the impact of these projects as they advance equitable health outcomes for women, children, and families globally.