My Resignation Letter as ED of eHA

Dear friends,

After almost 12 year of serving as eHealth Africa’s Executive Directors, my business partner, Adam Thompson, and I have decided it is time for us to step down. With 2022 looking to be a stronger financial year for eHA than last year, many people have questioned, why now??

Ultimately, we believe that eHealth Africa has outgrown being a founder-led organization. As founders, Adam and I brought a strong emotional connection to the purpose and culture of eHA and we are very proud of the company eHA has grown into. We have worked hard to build the systems and processes needed to allow eHA to successfully transition away from its founders. Here are 3 reasons we believe now is the right time.

The first is Juliet Odowgu becoming eHAs new Executive Director. It has been Adam and my goal for many years that we would be able to transition eHA to a Nigerian led organization, and when Juliet joined eHA over 3 years ago, we had high expectations that she would grow into the ED position. The board of directors ran a rigorous candidate interview process and unanimously agreed to appoint Juliet. She’s intelligent, passionate, innovative, self-aware and humble. She leads with compassion while still holding people accountable. We have full trust that she is the right person to lead eHA.

The second is that eHA is ready for a shake up. New evidence compiled by the WHO shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress towards Universal Health Coverage. We saw immunization coverage drop for the first time in 10 years and deaths from TB and malaria increased. COVID-19 has taken a toll on all of our lives and will continue to influence eHAs impact and working culture. New innovative ideas will be needed to keep eHA impactful and new leadership allows and encourages middle management to step up and develop unique solutions.

The third is the eHA family. The team at eHA has been tried and tested over and over again and continues to blow expectations out of the water. eHA staff have done some truly amazing things and have had an enormous impact. eHA has strong leaders and motivated and passionate staff and we believe with all our heart that they are the future of eHealth Africa and the key to its success.

This was not an easy decision for Adam and I to make. We discussed it at length with our Board of Directors, friends and family. We believe this is the right decision for ourselves and for the company. I am really sad to be leaving eHA but at the same time, really happy. There are not many organizations that are able to successfully transition from founder-led and I am incredibly proud that eHA is in the position to do that.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me over the years. It has been an honor working with you all and I am excited for my next chapter at eha Impact Ventures.

All the best, Evelyn Castle