Global voices: Carole & Lalaina, two visionary women leading MSI Africa

In the ‘Global Voices’ series, we share seven stories from MSI healthcare providers, leaders, clients and partners. Their reflections and experiences inform, inspire and invigorate–read them all in our latest Annual Review.

We sat down with our MSI Africa Director and Deputy Director to learn more about their backgrounds, inspirations, and shared vision for the future of reproductive choice across the African continent.

When Carole Sekimpi, a medical doctor from Uganda, had her fourth daughter she noticed something was different. The usual visitors didn’t come around. The usual celebrations didn’t happen. People were acting like something was wrong – because it was another girl. She knew that girls were thought of as a liability. You can’t trust them or invest in them like you can with boys, her mother told her, because they can get pregnant. They’ll drop out of school and fail to contribute economically to their families. This didn’t sit right with Carole. Nine months into her new daughter’s life, she saw an advert for a job at MSI and never looked back.

In Madagascar, at just 9 years old, Lalaina Razafinirinasoa was entrusted with her family’s finances and paperwork. Her parents’ aversion to admin created space for an organised and managerial-mannered girl to step in. It was unusual for any girl or woman to be dealing with such matters in their male-dominated society, but as her life went on, she continued to challenge gender norms. She won educational scholarships and worked in sales, finance and marketing before making her way into a role at MSI – a move she describes as the best decision of her life.

When asked what they love most about MSI, Carole doesn’t hesitate. “Numbers,” she quips, going on to describe MSI’s unparalleled data and evidence-based thinking. Lalaina sits back in her chair, thoughtful. “MSI is not afraid to stand for what it believes in,” she says.

They both possess a demonstrable strength of character and ability to communicate, while each bringing their own skillsets that create a nice balance. Carole’s medical background, her strategy and business acumen, her task and project-oriented nature, and her ability to captivate a room as a true MSI ambassador make her well-equipped to be at the helm of MSI Africa. Her role focuses on commercial programmes and the marketing of MSI healthcare products, driving performance and profit to expand our impact at scale.

Lalaina, who oversees donor-funded programmes to deliver services to rural communities, is reflective and perceptive about people and approaches. Carole says of her deputy: “She is thoughtful and knows how to navigate nuances and difficult situations. And her Francophone background helps connect our leadership with our Francophone regions.” Together, they have a clear vision for the future of MSI and for the women of Africa.

“I would like to continue building on our model of strong local leadership with lots of room for adaptation – each country delivering MSI’s mission of expanding reproductive choice in their own way,” Carole explains. “I’m excited about growing impact, about governments taking more ownership and counting on MSI as a partner, and I strongly believe we are building sustainable services.”

Lalaina adds: “We need to accelerate our advocacy to break down the restrictions women face to accessing contraception and abortion. When women have the right to access reproductive healthcare and they can truly access services, that’s when we have done our job.”

The two women reflect on the birds-eye view of the African continent they have at this level of leadership. They speak to the hurdles of diminishing funding while navigating intense inflation, devaluation of currencies, geopolitical instabilities, and governments deprioritising reproductive health. The operating challenges are profound, but the opportunities and momentum to drive progress are also abundant.

With 300 million people aged between 15 and 24, Africa’s younger generations are demanding this change. “There’s something about society that is undermining the futures of girls,” Carole remarks. “Many people live beyond the health system, but there is a way we can reach them. We need to be strategic, engage new funders and partners, deploy resources efficiently, and just keep pushing forward – put on our gloves so to speak, and work hard.”

On what drives her, Lalaina speaks with fervour about helping people who cannot afford or access services. “I have family members still living in remote villages who are victims of this inequity. This is my way to contribute.”

Helping them overcome the stress and pressures they face as leaders is their shared desire for equity. Fairness for women and girls. “Nothing beats the smile of a young woman visiting one of our clinics who now feels she has a chance in life,” says Carole, smiling herself.