IMPACT: A new Global Health Initiative (GHI) Executive Director, Lois Quam, has recently been named. What will be the organizational relationship between USAID's Global Health Bureau and the Executive Director?

IMPACT: What are some of the overarching issues that threaten progress on global health challenges like malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, reproductive health and child survival?

The United States has a long history of helping people in need, in countries around the world. At times, this has meant helping a nation recover from a disaster or helping families access basic food and shelter to survive. In 1961, with Americans feeling increasing dissatisfaction with the foreign assistance structures that were currently in place, President John F. Kennedy reorganized U.S. foreign aid programs and created the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by executive order.

On April 1, 2009, PSI/Uganda officially transitioned into a locally registered organization called the Programme for Accelerated Health, Communication and Education (PACE).

In early February, while Chrestien Yemeni was working for PSI’s affiliate, the Cameroon Social Marketing Association (ACMS), he attended a workshop on innovation. The pressures on him were clear to see. He was repeating “yes, right away” into his mobile phone in one hand. In the other hand was a coffee cup and pulling down his shoulder, a work bag.

Five years ago, PSI was already working at a very large scale in more than 60 countries around the world. Today, we are nearly double the size. For Chrestien, in his sixth year at PSI, his workload is bigger too, and a lot more complicated.

In its early years, PSI focused on marketing condoms – a family planning product that required no clinical or technical support. As it has moved into new health areas, PSI has expanded its programs to include health products and services that require the involvement of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and village health workers.

Most often these services are provided by branded networks of local health workers who are trained, supported, monitored and subsidized by PSI as part of a social franchise.

During her first trip to Southeast Asia as global ambassador for PSI, Ashley promised the women she met along the way: "I will never forget you." In this excerpt from her book, Ashley recounts her first meeting with Kausar, an HIV activist for PSI in India who transformed her life through service to others. Pg. 287-298