“Joining the program with Univé and Amref Health Africa in Malawi was in a good way out of my comfort zone for me. Not for the reasons you might think—like traveling to Malawi. The real challenge was working with leaders at a company I didn’t know: Univé. To me, that was the ‘culture shock’. Malawi felt like my comfortzone, I’ve travelled extensively through my work with Amref and personal interest. Having worked in an NGO for almost 10 years now I was suddenly collaborating with people from a corporate organization, in a week centered around leadership. That made me feel like the odd one out. So, initially, I worried about what value I could bring to this program.
This program, designed around the themes of ‘self’, ‘us’, and ‘societal impact’, the program brought together participants from Amref Malawi and Univé to collaborate on the pressing issue of access to healthcare in Malawi. For Cecile, who works at Amref Netherlands, this program was a rare opportunity to collaborate in person with her colleagues from Amref Malawi.
“My initial nerves about what I could contribute to the program quickly faded when I delved a bit deeper in the business challenge we would be working on. Part of that challenge was around fundraising. That is right up my alley! From the moment I started working on the case with my group, it was fireworks and magic. And I still feel that energy.”
Beyond the professional achievements, the program also brought deeply personal growth. “Something that really resonated with me during the week in Malawi was the personal approach. People weren’t just talking to each other as colleagues but as individuals—really discovering who someone is as a person. It awakened something in people and created real personal connections.”
“I really enjoyed seeing how much my input was valued by the Univé people, and incredibly rewarding to realize that Amref Malawi learned a lot from my fundraising insights. Hester, Wezzie, and I created a strong fundraising plan during the program. They’re now implementing it in Malawi, while I’m supporting the efforts from the Netherlands to raise funds for their projects. This is a very tangible result of what we worked on during the immersive week with Better Future.”
Cecile is passionate about her work, which makes her particularly effective in her role. “I’m good at what I do because I love it. The impact we create at Amref is tangible—you can see it with your own eyes: more girls go to school, fewer girls undergo female genital mutilation, women receive better guidance and support during pregnancy and childbirth, malaria is reduced, clean drinking water becomes accessible, sanitation improves—the list goes on. It’s impact on human lives, and that drives me.”
“The site visits during the program were a turning point for many participants. For me, the site visits weren’t as confrontational as they were for the Univé participants. I’ve been exposed to what hospitals look like through my work with Amref. But I noticed a shift in the group, especially after visiting the district hospital. It was disarming. People became open, vulnerable, and willing to show their authentic selves. And that vulnerability led to stronger human connections.”
“If I were the CEO of a company and had a training budget, I wouldn’t think twice about investing in a program like this. I don’t understand why more organizations don’t do it! It’s such a unique combination of leadership, impact, and personal development. Better Future creates a safe environment for honest and vulnerable conversations, making things deeply human.
That’s where real change happens.”
