Ubuntu initiative
Inspired by Desmond Tutu’s articulation of Ubuntu (the belief that “our humanity is inextricably bound up in one another”), this initiative champions equity-driven, culturally safe, and genuinely collaborative research partnerships with African researchers, communities, and organisations.
Despite decades of engagement, many health partnerships continue to reinforce deficit-based narratives about Africa. These narratives often justify external interventions while sidelining local knowledge and leadership. Framing Africa as the region with the highest disease burden and the weakest health systems risks positioning its people as passive recipients of aid, rather than as knowledge-holders, co-creators and agents of change. Such framing overlooks the continent’s rich intellectual traditions and collective resilience.
Despite decades of engagement, many health partnerships continue to reinforce deficit-based narratives about Africa. These narratives often justify external interventions while sidelining local knowledge and leadership. Framing Africa as the region with the highest disease burden and the weakest health systems risks positioning its people as passive recipients of aid, rather than as knowledge-holders, co-creators and agents of change. Such framing overlooks the continent’s rich intellectual traditions and collective resilience.
What The George Institute is doing through its Ubuntu initiative
By engaging with external partners, we:
- Host sessions that focus on relationship building and model respect for local knowledge systems across Africa
- Co-design research capacity assessments and deliver tailored capacity-strengthening sessions.
- Support joint applications for commissioned and grant-funded projects
- Design internship pathways for emerging African scholars and engage with leading African scholars and community leaders as distinguished research fellows.
Within the Institute, we:
- Create safe, reflective spaces for researchers to share learning, support each other, and deepen their commitment to equity-focused work in African countries.
- Advise on embedding cultural safety and shared ownership in research from the outset.
- Co-create knowledge outputs with teams working across African countries.
- Facilitate collaborative learning opportunities for George Institute staff
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Featured Partnerships
South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), South Africa
Strengthening health systems and responding to the growing burden of injury and multiple long-term conditions.
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University of Global Health Equity and Partners in Health/ Inshuti Mu Buzima, Rwanda
Advancing data driven systems for tracking and responding to multiple long-term conditions; implementation science, practice and research; health services and systems strengthening.
University of Gondar, Ethiopia
Mapping care-seeking journeys of people living with low back pain.
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