b'IMPACT STATEMENT 2021Stronger Together: Tackling the worlds greatest challenges through consortium partnershipsTackling complex global issues requires collaborationSpeaking about the effectiveness of the consortium, across national and continental boundaries,Ian Gardiner, Director of Oriole Global Health said, leveraging knowledge, experience, networks andI think any good collaboration is based on mutual capabilities from multiple actors. understanding, appreciation, and trust. From the To ensure we deliver maximum impact across thebeginning, contract negotiations with Crown Agents globe, Crown Agents convenes consortiums of expertwere very honest and upfront. organisations on both local and large internationalWe never really felt like a subcontractormore like programmes. We work side-by-side with partnersan equal partneras we experienced Crown Agents specifically chosen for their complementary expertise,company culture to be very inclusive. When different to co-design bespoke solutions that address keybackgrounds join up, but one organisation is in the challenges in the most appropriate and holistic waylead, it often happens that actions get initiated possible. This enables us to deliver a well-rounded,top down. This, however, does not always yield the comprehensive response that tackles the problembest results, because knowledge is held across the from numerous different angles. consortium. With Crown Agents, we operated very Since 2018, Crown Agents has been managing horizontally, which meant that each of us fed into a consortium which includes Oriole Global Health,processes as needed. Abt Associates and The Royal Tropical Institute. ThisThis approach really helped to conceptualise our team leverages the best of academic, research andtechnical knowledge within the programmatic development expertise to support the elimination offramework the donor requested. We know NTDs very Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) across well, but how to frame ideas for activities, ensuring 10 countries. we meet donor requirements and involve local In partnership, we delivered the Accelerating thestakeholders for sustainabilitythis is very much Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglectedwhere Crown Agents came in, ensuring the application Tropical Diseases (Ascend) programme, whichof our skillset had the most impact within the setting combined the consortiums technical and operationalwe operated in. capabilities in NTDs, WASH services and healthThe strong working partnerships formed through the systems and our own expertise in fund management,Ascend programme have now evolved to take on new supply chain and complex health programmework in the field of NTDs. Crown Agents, Oriole Global management.Health and Abt Associates recently started four new projects tackling lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and visceral leishmaniasis, across seven countries in Southern and Eastern Africa and Southeast Asia. With funding from The Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the END Fund, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the consortium will continue its efforts to rid the world of these preventable diseases.26'