The Equity Initiative

08/10/2026

“Heading to the UK, I was most excited to explore what it means to be a systems leader, how we integrate and articulate our stories to a wider system, and using that to mobilize people and resources towards change” reflected Kate Shieh (2026, Singapore).

From 1–10 September, Cohort 2026 EI Fellows gathered in Oxford, UK for Global Leadership, the fourth learning module of their Fellowship Induction Year. The UK learning trip explored how stories, power, and systems shape equitable change, building on the learnings from previous trips to Viet Nam, Kenya, and Hong Kong,

Through sessions on systems mapping with Dr. Duncan Green and Tom Kirk, public narrative with Rosi Greenberg, digital power with Dr. Michael Vaughan, and conversations with leaders at Wellcome and the UCL Institute of Health Equity, Fellows further developed their Second Year Projects and participated in more conversations in leadership.

In this way, Fellows continue to develop their leadership capabilities, broaden their perspectives on equity issues, and reflect on their learning and development throughout the Fellowship program. All while deepening their relationship with their cohort.

Read the full story here: https://www.equityinitiative.org/news/fellowship-program/stories-power-and-systems-global-leadership-oxford

06/10/2026

The Atlantic Institute Emerging Technology Residency brings together Atlantic Fellows committed to climate justice to build hands-on skills in immersive and technology-driven storytelling. The residency equips Fellows to engage critically with the technologies increasingly shaping conversations on equity, governance, and justice.

Christian James Nazareth (2023, Philippines) was among ten Atlantic Fellows selected for the Atlantic Institute residency program. For James, the biggest shift was realizing that meaningful XR work doesn't require deep technical expertise, but curiosity, experimentation, and learning by doing. Creating an XR film as a group taught him that "much of the learning happens through the process itself: trying things, making mistakes, playing with the tools."

James’ takeaway: Technology isn’t the starting point. It starts with humans, the communities, stories, and lived realities.

Read the full story here: https://www.equityinitiative.org/news/other-news/fellows-reflections-atlantic-institute-emerging-technologies-residency

01/10/2026

The Atlantic Institute Emerging Technology Residency brings together Atlantic Fellows committed to climate justice to build hands-on skills in immersive and technology-driven storytelling. The residency equips Fellows to engage critically with the technologies increasingly shaping conversations on equity, governance, and justice.

Angga Dwi Martha (2021, Indonesia) was among ten Atlantic Fellows selected for the Atlantic Institute residency program. For Angga, the experience became less about mastering virtual reality and more about asking better questions. Working in international development, he was used to measuring impact by scale, but the residency challenged that assumption: "an immersive experience that changes how even a handful of policymakers understand inequality may ultimately matter more than an application downloaded by millions."

Angga’s takeaway: start with the human, not the technology.

Read the full story here: https://www.equityinitiative.org/news/other-news/fellows-reflections-atlantic-institute-emerging-technologies-residency

25/09/2026

Congratulations to EI Fellow Dr. Gunenthira Rao (2023, Malaysia) on receiving the MMA Outstanding Public & Healthcare Services Award 2026 last 12 of September 2026 at the Malaysian Medical Association Annual Banquet in Ipoh, Perak.

The recognition reflects Dr. Subbarao’s continued commitment to advancing health equity, strengthening health policy, and advocating for vulnerable and underserved communities.

As Dr. Subbarao reflects: “The true measure of our work is not the awards we receive, but the lives we touch and the communities we serve.”

This achievement is a reminder that meaningful impact is built through service, integrity, leadership and shared purpose.

18/09/2026

Thailand hosts an estimated 4.1 million migrants from Myanmar, many facing prolonged stress with mental health care remaining largely out of reach. CMB/EI Fellows Nyein Chan Oo (2025, Myanmar), Pheana Sopheak (2025, Cambodia), Ye Naing Win (2025, Myanmar), and Polwish Subsrisunjai (2025, Thailand) designed “Migrants' Minds Matter” to close this gap in Chiang Mai.

They worked with migrant communities, civil society organizations, journalists, and students to provide onsite training, online sessions, and peer learning to teach Psychological First Aid, stress management, and listening skills to strengthen mental health services in migrant communities.

Beyond training, the project fostered connections and laid foundation for continued peer support and stronger referral pathways for migrants in Chiang Mai.

"Together, we hope to continue building a supportive community where knowledge is shared, connections are strengthened, and mental wellbeing matters."

15/09/2026

Climate change is deepening health inequities across Southeast Asia and China, falling hardest on coastal communities, smallholder farmers, migrants, Indigenous peoples, and the urban poor.

In response, EI Fellows formed a Climate Justice thematic group, leading CMB to launch a regional theme on Climate Justice for Health Equity.

Centered on community-led adaptation, this initiative uses local evidence, strengthens community leadership, and amplifies marginalized voices that are often excluded from climate decisions. The team has since produced policy briefs, factsheets, and community stories to inform more equitable climate policy.

Climate Justice for health equity is just one area where CMB/EI is deepening its commitment in the years ahead.

Read the full story: https://www.equityinitiative.org/news/other-news/bridging-climate-justice-and-health-equity

10/09/2026

How much philanthropy actually happens in Asia, and what does it do?

Suan Ee Ong (2024, Malaysia) has spent the past year exploring this with the Voyage 明丘 team as part of the Commission on Asian Philanthropy. The Commission's interim report, released yesterday, found striking numbers: US$109 billion in domestic giving across Asia in 2024, and over a trillion projected over the next decade.

The Commission's jurisdictions, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and China, overlap closely with where The Equity Initiative works, helping us better understand the resources already circulating in our communities, who they reach, and how.

Three arguments stand out:

Asia's philanthropy ecosystem is bigger and more varied than usual framing suggests, with five models that draw on state, market and community, offering last-mile delivery, local insight, trust, and patient capital.

Philanthropy builds the collaborative infrastructure that national missions need.

Getting there requires deliberate investment in data visibility, context-specific growth models, and treating the philanthropy ecosystem as a strategic national planning asset.

If that comes together, the Commission projects an additional US$189 billion in domestic giving by 2036.

For us, the equity question is what the capital does. Philanthropy already drives efforts across social impact areas including poverty alleviation, humanitarian aid, education, and economic empowerment. Its potential lies in both scale and proximity: money and institutions rooted in the societies whose priorities they're advancing.

📄 Read the interim report here:

Interim Report, September 2026. The Commission on Asian Philanthropy

08/09/2026

On 1 July 2026, Sri Lanka's National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) marked its centennial, tracing back to 1926 when the Rockefeller Foundation's International Health Board established the first health unit in Asia at Kalutara. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and CMB President Dr. Roger Glass shared video messages at the inauguration ceremony to honor a century of public health achievements.

The Rockefeller Foundation’s International Health Board and the CMB Foundation share deep roots, as both were born under the Rockefeller Foundation; With the former opening the Kalutara Health Unit which later grew into the NIHS, and the latter establishing the Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in Beijing in 1921. Today, the PUMC still stands as one of China’s leading medical institutions.

A century later, these institutions are still thriving and celebrate a shared mission of training generations of health workers and their role in the communities they serve. This is what long-term commitments to health equity looks like: lineage of institutions that support healthier societies.

Read the full story: https://cmbfound.org/cmb-foundation-celebrates-a-century-of-health-with-nihs/

04/09/2026

The Equity Initiative congratulates Fellows, Dr. Collins Santhanasamy (2022, Malaysia) and Dr. Xu Jin (2018, China) for being selected for the Global Health Bootcamp 2026 organized by the Prince Mahidol Award Conference Strategic Institute (PMAC SI) in Bangkok, that took place on 24-27 August 2026.

The four-day bootcamp is a platform uniting emerging global health leaders from across Asia-Pacific to grow in capacity, expand networks, and strengthen regional solidarity for global health. The program included sessions on the global health landscape, diplomatic negotiation skills, a field visit, and how to effectively communicate.

Chief Representative and Director of CMB-Southeast Asia, Dr. Thaksaphon (Mek) Thamarangsi also served as a resource person for the Bootcamp.

02/09/2026

LGBTQIA+ individuals face heightened su***de risk due to stigma and discrimination, despite this, in Viet Nam, data on su***de among sexual minorities is scarce. EI Fellows Mai Quang Anh (2023, Viet Nam), Anond Kulthanmanusorn (2023, Thailand), and Wai Lwin (2023, Myanmar), partnered with Hanoi Medical University Hospital's Sexual Health Promotion Clinic to close this gap.

Their study involved 513 LGBTQIA+ participants, using screening tools for mental health, stigma, and suicidal ideation, while training clinic staff to respond safely to high-risk clients. Findings revealed 6.5% reported current suicidal thoughts and 40 had previously attempted su***de, identifying family pressure as a common trigger.

The team's adapted screening scale is now embedded in two clinics, actively screening and referring clients, while findings are collected to shape future advocacy and policy.

Read the full story: https://www.equityinitiative.org/news/community-building/enhancing-mental-health-support-lgbtq-communities-hanoi-vietnam-our-journey-challenges-lessons-and-impact