Brewing Change: How a Café Conversation Sparked a Global Health Career
23 November 2023
By Becca Reisdorf, former WGH Policy Associate
In April 2018, seated in a Berlin café and on the brink of a move to Chile for maternal and child health work, I had my first encounter with Women in Global Health (WGH). Little did I know how life-altering that conversation over a hot cup of coffee with a member of WGH Germany would be. At that moment, I found myself at a crossroads, armed with a fresh Bachelor’s in Public Health and a fervent passion for women’s rights.
WGH spoke to me in a way no other cause had before. The organization seamlessly blended my two profound passions: feminism and the fight for gender equality, and public health. What drew me in was not just its women-led approach but the commitment to change at every level. Each Chapter had women nationally inspired to ignite change in their contexts, backed by an influential organization, driving change globally.
After a year and a half of email exchanges with the then volunteer-led WGH team, I found myself co-founding the chapter in Chile. Alongside an amazing group of women health workers and activists, our shared goal was simple – to make change happen. Little did we know that just two months after forming, a significant social uprising unfolded in Chile. We worked with frontline health workers providing services during protests, shedding light on gender roles and the burdens women in health carry.
Leading the Chile chapter for two years, I had the privilege of representing it on a Senate-led working group during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience fueled my determination to delve into advocacy and health politics. The formulation and implementation of recommendations on gender-responsive policies in emergencies marked the beginning of my journey in health advocacy.
Eager to contribute at the global level, I aimed to join the WGH team. After numerous attempts, I joined as a Policy Associate in 2021, discovering a close-knit team where I was among the first 10 paid team members. Coordinating advocacy on health workforce and pandemic preparedness, the experience was both challenging and rewarding. The initial weeks felt like a plunge into unknown waters, but I embraced the opportunity to learn and grow.
While the early stages of a feminist organization with limited funding presented challenges, the shared passion of the team and collaborative spirit made the journey worthwhile. The knowledge that we were collectively making a difference fueled our motivation.
Working with a growing NGO also has its benefits. Since joining, I’ve had the privilege of speaking at the UN twice, co-coordinating delegations to major global events, and meeting Ministers of Health, diplomats, heads of multilateral organizations and NGOs, and countless inspiring gender equality activists and advocates. One of my fondest memories was witnessing the team and Chapters in action at my first World Health Assembly. I have come to remember it as the most intense and incredibly fulfilling week of my life, where I got to see change happen firsthand and truly experience global health policy-making.
Reflecting on this incredible two-year journey, I am grateful for the opportunities WGH has afforded me. While the decision to take on a new role is bittersweet, I am excited to embrace new challenges and persist in my mission to achieve gender equity in health. The statistics may be daunting, and global backlash against women’s rights may persist, but it is the small successes that fuel my determination.
As I step out of my role at WGH, my commitment to gender equity is even stronger than that very lucky day at a cafe in Berlin. In my new role at Fòs Feminista, I will continue advocating for women, now targeted to our sexual and reproductive health and rights. While my journey with the WGH team may be over, my commitment to the movement persists. I will keep advocating for women in health through the Chile Chapter, ensuring that the work we began together continues to make a lasting impact.
