FAAL

The Ubuntu-Bǔ SCM & RSS Career Coaching Program is designed to be self-sustaining, community-based, and locally driven, with a funding model based on solidarity, volunteerism, and sustainability.

• At the heart of the program, support comes from in-kind contributions from FAAL (Federation of African Associations of Supply Chain and Logistics Professionals) and its national member associations. FAAL trains national coaches free of charge, drawing on its Secretariat and network of senior professionals who volunteer their time to build capacity in their respective countries.
• For the current pilot cohort of 15 participants, each contributed USD 25 to cover basic operational needs—primarily the coaches’ internet/data connection costs. This contribution reflects a principle of shared ownership and responsibility. Participants affiliated with FAAL member associations pay a reduced solidarity fee, while non-members pay the full cost of the program. This income helps to:
  • Support the operation of the secretariats of national associations;
  • Allow associations to pay their contributions to the FAAL;
  • Support FAAL innovation and coordination across countries.
• Although the model does not rely on donor funding, external partners (e.g., donors, development agencies, or ministries of health) are encouraged to support the program’s expansion. Their contributions can accelerate the program’s reach and impact by:
  • Funding additional cohorts of coaches and participants;
  • Covering costs related to translation, supervision or monitoring;
  • Supporting national adaptation or integration into SSR strategies. This mixed approach preserves the autonomy and integrity of the program while enabling broader transformation at the national level when partners align with the local vision of Ubuntu-Bǔ.

The coaching cycle generally lasts between 3 and 6 months, depending on the country and the participants' availability. Each participant completes 4 to 6 structured sessions, with the possibility of additional follow-up sessions if desired.

Ubuntu-Bǔ SCM & RSS coaches are selected through a competitive and transparent call for applications, launched by FAAL and its national member associations. The process aims to ensure diversity, commitment, and technical credibility, while promoting peer-to-peer learning based on real-life experience. Candidates typically come from:

• National Logistics/Supply Chain Associations;
• Logistics teams from ministries of health and health systems strengthening (HSS) officials;
• Logistics teams from ministries of health and health systems strengthening (HSS) officials;
• Professional orders (e.g.: orders of pharmacists, doctors);
• Universities and training institutions;
• Independent consultants and regional experts in public health supply chain and HSS. Successful candidates demonstrate:
• A minimum of field experience;
• A commitment to volunteerism and peer learning;
• A desire to support national transformation through coaching. They are then trained through the Ubuntu-Bǔ coaching curriculum, which includes:
• The ethics and principles of coaching;
• Systems thinking and strategic thinking;
• The application of career development frameworks in SCM and RSS (e.g. PtD, FAAL-RECET and RSS career guide);
• The use of structured coaching tools and Individual Development Plan (IDP). This approach ensures that Ubuntu-Bǔ coaches are both technically competent and behaviorally prepared to guide others through personalized and context-specific career development paths.

Participants generally register through calls for expressions of interest launched by the FAAL or its national chapters/associations. Selection is based on:

• Motivation and commitment to complete the coaching cycle;
• The current role in the healthcare supply chain;
• Willingness to engage in self-assessment and long-term career planning. In some cases, health ministries or partners may appoint young professionals or middle managers.

The Ubuntu-Bǔ SCM & RSS program helps participants develop a balanced portfolio of technical, behavioral, and strategic skills to enable them to move from frontline logistics roles to RSS leadership roles. This includes vaccine logistics skills and alignment with GAVI’s vision for resilient health systems.

Skills developed include:

1. Technical skills in supply chain management (SCM)

• Logistics Management Information Systems (LMIS)
• Sourcing and quantification
• Storage and inventory management
• Distribution and cold chain management (including vaccine logistics)
• Waste management and last-mile delivery
• Logistics planning
• Logistics planning

2. Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Skills

• Governance and management of health systems
• Health financing and policy integration
• Systems thinking and multi-sectoral coordination
• Using data for performance improvement and accountability

3. Behavioral and transformational skills

• Self-knowledge and emotional intelligence
• Leadership and strategic communication
• Negotiation, facilitation and team management
• Professional Ethics, Integrity and Ubuntu-Bǔ Values

4. Strategic skills and career development

• Career Projection Using the FAAL Career Development Guide RSS
• Development and implementation of Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
• Long-term impact planning, innovation and resilience
• Promotion of quality, equity and optimization of available resources

All skills are aligned with:

• The People that Deliver (PtD) Competency Framework
• The FAAL-RECET regional reference guide
• The FAAL RSS Career Development Guide (2025)
• And are deeply inspired by the Ubuntu-Bǔ philosophy, which places dignity, interdependence, humility and solidarity among peers at the heart of professional transformation.

The Ubuntu-Bǔ SCM & RSS program has been implemented in two main phases to date:

• The first phase was a pilot initiated within the USAID/DRC Health Office, where more than 40 professionals—including FSNs and technical advisors—benefited from coaching, structured reflection sessions, and the development of personalized career paths. The initiative resulted in the co-creation of the RSS Skills and Career Development Guide, formally shared with staff and validated during an internal workshop.
• The current second phase is being conducted under the direct leadership of FAAL, mobilizing a cohort of 15 health professionals in the DRC from NGOs, academia, and health institutions. These participants are coached by their peers, themselves in training through a coach training process led by FAAL. They are guided to develop their Individual Development Plans (IDPs) using the structured Ubuntu-Bǔ methodology. This multi-level deployment allows for both institutional and individual ownership, demonstrating the flexibility of the Ubuntu-Bǔ model in diverse operational contexts.

Formal evaluation indicators are currently being developed as part of FAAL's monitoring of the second pilot phase. However, the first signs of impact are already visible. The USAID/DRC pilot has notably enabled:

• The adoption of the RSS Career Guide as a tool for staff development and support to mission management;
• An increased demand for structured coaching and personal development planning among technical teams;
• A shift in mindset from siloed vertical expertise to integrated HSS leadership, rooted in supply chain reality. More broadly, the Ubuntu-Bǔ model is rooted in real-life experience, including the personal journey of the program’s founder—from a health center storekeeper to a senior SCM & HSS advisor, donor coordinator, and regional leader. This journey, across NGOs, the private sector, and bilateral health programs, illustrates the model’s relevance and applicability for transversal and progressive career development. Ubuntu-Bǔ also draws inspiration from previous successful initiatives, including the YLPP program in Benin, based on the peer-coaching approach developed by the national association of logisticians. This initiative, whose conceptual roots go back to the author, was recognized in a peer-reviewed article (Global Health: Science and Practice, 2025) as a good practice in youth professional development in SCM public health.

This article therefore constitutes not only a sharing of experience, but also a call to action:

• For countries and institutions to review the Coaching Implementation Guide and the RSS Career Reference Guide;
• To contribute through feedback;
• And to express their interest in becoming pilot or early adopter countries, with the support of free technical assistance and coaching materials provided by FAAL.

Ubuntu-Bǔ offers a fresh perspective to help SCM professionals become RSS leaders, integrating technical expertise with leadership, governance and health systems transformation.