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Real leadership is about future ideas & global accountability, not power! Dr. Seth Berkley

Gavi is an international organisation that was created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Gavi is the Vaccine Alliance, which brings together public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to vaccines for children, wherever they live.
Sunita Sehmi

Sunita Sehmi

2 Min Read

Seth Berkley is the CEO of GAVI. He is a medical epidemiologist by training and a global advocate on the power of vaccines. Rarely have I seen such a powerful combination of passion, humility and drive….. It was a pleasure to interview to him.

How does Gavi work?
Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) is a public-private global health partnership committed to protecting children’s health by increasing access to immunization and strengthening health systems in the world’s poorest countries. As a public-private partnership, GAVI represents all the key stakeholders in global immunization: implementing and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, civil society, the vaccine industry and private companies.

What are their core aims?
GAVI’S core aim is to provide new vaccines to children in poor countries. This powerful alliance is a model that is working extraordinarily well. We are not rescuing but empowering, our model is designed as a viable approach that puts countries on the pathway to self-sufficiency.

What is your role at GAVI?
My role as I see is to make sure that everyone understands the power of vaccines and as we continue to support countries to introduce new vaccines, our focus is to increase coverage and equity to assure that we reach every child with these vaccines. We are trying to reach the unreached and create one global society and it can happen.

How do they raise funds?
GAVI is funded through contributions by government donors and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We work collaboratively with UNICEF , WHO and the World Bank Our force is warranting that our collaboration is a win-win for all involved.

What can others do to help with their great cause? 
Drawing on the individual strengths of its members, the GAVI Alliance model aggregates country demand, guarantees long-term, predictable funding and brings down prices, helping to ensure that generations of children in poor countries do not miss out on lifesaving, economy-boosting vaccines.

For more information on how to support their great cause go to Gavi: http://www.gavi.org/

Follow Seth on Twitter and check out the latest Tweets from Seth Berkley (@GaviSeth)

Author(s)

  • Sunita Sehmi

    Leadership Advisor I Exec Coach I Author I CEO Mentor @RichardBranson I Coach @Cancer Support Switzerland

    Walk The Talk

    I am an executive coach and organisational consultant with over 20 years of experience, specialising in leadership transformation and change management for C-suite leaders and senior executives. As the founder of Walk the Talk Organisational Consulting and Leadership Advisory Services, I have supported leaders across major industries, including Tech, Banking, Pharma, Business Schools, International Organisations, and Social Entrepreneurship, helping them drive impactful leadership development and cultural change. Having worked with CxOs worldwide, I am passionate about helping leaders unlock their full potential and align personal growth with organisational objectives. I’m known for inspiring authentic leadership, driving transformation, and creating sustainable organisational impact. As an author and thought leader, my work has been featured in publications such as Forbes Middle East, Thrive Global, and Huffington Post. I am the author of two books, How to Get Out of Your Own Way and The Power of Belonging, which explore the intersection of personal development and organisational success. Through my involvement with the Richard Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, I actively mentor emerging leaders and support social enterprises. I am deeply committed to empowering leaders and helping them create lasting, meaningful change within themselves and their organisations.