Innovating for Good: Good Store & Partners in Health
Partners in Health
In January 2026, 30 Rwandan students will mark nearly seven years of education by receiving their medical degrees at the University of Global Health Equity, which was established by the nonprofit organization Partners in Health (PIH) to tackle healthcare inequalities in Africa. This educational effort represents a vital step towards alleviating the shortage of healthcare professionals in Rwanda, a gap that, according to the World Health Organization, is projected to exceed 6 million by 2030.
“Our aim is to extend the advantages of contemporary medicine to those in dire need, serving as a counter to hopelessness,” states Eric Hansen, the senior director of external relations at PIH.
Since its founding in 1987, PIH’s mission has centered on addressing healthcare disparities. In each of the 11 nations it serves, PIH partners with governments to enhance healthcare infrastructures through workforce training, provision of medical supplies and facilities, and creating a strategic model for sustainable change.
The organization also evaluates the efficacy of its healthcare initiatives and disseminates its findings to enable similar efforts in countries it cannot directly support, offering the insights gained to assist other nations in achieving fair access to high-quality healthcare.
“Our commitment to these countries is ongoing,” Hansen affirms. “Our ultimate aim is to empower them to deliver modern healthcare to their citizens and uphold their right to health, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Effective Solutions for Healthcare Inequity
The dedication of PIH in combating health disparities has led to tangible global impacts. In 2021 alone, the organization facilitated over 58,000 safe deliveries worldwide and treated nearly 100 tuberculosis patients in Peru. Annually, it also addresses malnutrition in around 2,600 Haitian children and provides care to over 44,000 individuals living with HIV globally.
As more medical students graduate from the University of Global Health Equity, they will play a crucial role in the battle against healthcare inequities by providing care and educating the next generation of Rwandans.
Good Store
In 2019, during a visit to Sierra Leone, author and YouTuber John Green experienced medical injustice up close. He arrived at Kono, a region central to the maternal mortality crisis, eager to learn and effect change.
“Dismissing the healthcare needs of those in poverty is not only a moral failure but also jeopardizes the fate of humanity,” asserts Green. “Every human life holds equal worth, and we must create systems that embody that reality.”
Recognizing the financial challenges faced in building such systems, John and his brother, Hank, founded Good Store, an online retail platform donating all its profits to organizations tackling medical inequity by selling items such as socks, coffee, tea, and soaps.
Before launching Good Store, both brothers achieved success in various fields, including writing bestselling novels and running the vlogbrothers YouTube channel with nearly four million subscribers, but they find their deepest satisfaction in the battle against medical injustice.
“John and I have enjoyed diverse experiences, but traditional goals no longer inspire us,” Hank Green explains. “However, we find immense motivation in the fight to help people in need and in pursuing unconventional paths.”
A Revolutionary Initiative
Since its launch in 2019, Good Store has contributed over $8 million to charities, including Partners in Health (PIH), which works globally to address medical inequity. Thanks to funding from Good Store, PIH began construction of the Maternal Center of Excellence in 2021, intended to provide superior maternal and child health services in Sierra Leone.
The goal of the facility is to significantly reduce the lifetime risk of maternal mortality, which was a staggering 1 in 33 a decade ago, compared to just 1 in 3,400 in the United States today.
Tackling this issue is central to the mission of both Good Store and PIH, and they have already made strides in diminishing maternal deaths. In 2020, the ratio of women dying in childbirth in Sierra Leone was down to 1 in 52—and their work is ongoing.
“The variation in life expectancy solely based on geographic location reflects a failure of our species; however, we are confident it can be addressed,” stated John.
The impact of Good Store extends beyond Sierra Leone’s borders. During his 2023 visit to the Maternal Center of Excellence construction site, John observed that the project has enabled hundreds of locals to acquire new skills while aiding in the building process. In his vlog, he noted that 65 percent of the workers are women, one of whom expressed that this initiative has united future mothers who will eventually give birth at the new hospital.
Although the center is projected to open in 2026, the pursuit of justice in healthcare will remain ongoing.
“There will always be important work to be done, and it’s work that is always worth undertaking,” Hank emphasizes.
This article was originally featured in the January-February 2025 edition of Daitrl magazine (US edition).
