Podcast
High-Impact Growth
Hosted by Dimagi · EN
A podcast for social entrepreneurs, global development funders, nonprofit leaders and anyone grappling with the challenge of how to build solutions that are both immensely impactful and also achieve high-growth. Join Dimagi CEO and co-founder, Jonathan Jackson, along with co-host Amie Vaccaro as we unpack learnings from 20 years building digital solutions for global health and development, explore barriers to and opportunities for high-impact growth, and speak with industry leaders from around the world.
Find us at: https://dimagi.com/podcast/
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
40,000 Health Workers, One AI-Powered Lifeline
3w ago00:49:25Summary readyWhat happens when a health extension worker in rural Ethiopia faces a complex case and there's no doctor nearby? This episode goes beyond the AI hype cycle to explore a live, working answer: HEP Assist, a generative AI-powered call center built for Ethiopia's 40,000 health extension workers by Last Mile Health, IDinsight, and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health.Abraham Zerihun, Ethiopia Country Director at Last Mile Health, and Sid Ravinutala, Chief Data Scientist at IDinsight, take us inside the real decisions — from choosing a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architecture to stay within Ministry guidelines and reduce hallucinations, to creating a virtual assistant named Hawa to make interactions feel human rather than machine. They discuss the surprisingly nuanced cost model for AI at scale, the importance of government buy-in, and why evaluation should be built in from day one, not treated as an afterthought. With 6,500+ AI-supported consultations already completed and 53% of cases resolved at the community level, this isn't a pilot on paper — it's proof that AI can work at the last mile, in local languages, on high-stakes problems, right now.Related Resources:Last Mile Health – An organization dedicated to saving lives in the world's most remote communities, by partnering with governments to equip professional community health workers.IDinsight – A global advisory, data analytics, and research organization that helps leaders maximize their social impact.The Ethiopian Ministry of Health – The government body leading the digital transformation and AI integration within Ethiopia's national health system.Data.org – A platform for partnerships to build the field of data science for social impact, which provided support for this initiative.Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) – A global health organization mentioned as a previous professional home for both guestsSign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary
Closing the Gap: Scaling Mental Health Care Through Local Heroes with Pavel Reppo
Apr 1500:50:30Summary readyImagine a country of 50 million people with only 50 psychiatrists. This staggering treatment gap is the reality in Uganda, but Pavel Reppo is proving that specialized experts aren’t the only ones who can provide life-changing care. As the Executive Director of Finemind and CEO of Matchbox Fund, Pavel brings a rare dual perspective to the conversation, bridging the worlds of grassroots mental health implementation and trust-based philanthropy.In this episode, we dive into how Finemind upskills primary health workers—such as midwives and nurses—to deliver evidence-based mental health support at the point of care. Pavel explains why true impact must be measured by functional recovery—like children returning to school or improved household food security—rather than just clinical depression scores. We also explore the Matchbox Fund’s mission to rewrite the rules of funding by investing in overlooked local organizations and responding to outreach with dignity. This conversation offers a masterclass in ethical leadership, local ownership, and a radical definition of success: scale as the "reduction of the problem," not just the growth of an organization.Related Resources:High-Impact Growth episode featuring Vikram Patel - https://sites.dimagi.com/high-impact-growth-podcast/reimagining-mental-health High-Impact Growth episode featuring Kevin Starr - https://dimagi.com/podcast/funders-power-to-change-the-system/ Finemind - https://afinemind.org/about/Matchboxfund - https://matchboxfund.org/Sangath - https://www.sangath.in/ Spring Impact - https://www.springimpact.org/ A WHO-developed psychological intervention for people in communities affected by adversity - https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506816 Sign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary
Thinking About Individual Giving? Start Here
Feb 2000:45:58Summary readyAs traditional funding sources shift, many nonprofits are asking a hard question: can individual giving become a meaningful and sustainable revenue stream? In this episode of High-Impact Growth, Amie Vaccaro and Jonathan Jackson sit down with Javan Van Gronigen, founder of Donate.ly, to unpack what it truly takes to make that transition work.Drawing from more than a decade in digital fundraising, Javan shares why storytelling—not technology—is the most critical asset nonprofits have, and why so many organizations struggle by committing “random acts of marketing.” The conversation explores how to move from one-to-one fundraising toward scalable, one-to-many models without burning limited budgets, and how testing small bets is essential before going all-in.The group also digs into the evolving role of AI in fundraising—from speeding up content creation and data analysis to raising new ethical questions about authenticity and trust. Whether you’re testing individual giving for the first time or rethinking your entire fundraising strategy, this episode offers a grounded, honest roadmap for navigating a more crowded and uncertain funding landscape.Related Resources:https://www.fiftyandfifty.org/services/engagement-os https://www.donately.com/https://www.charitywater.org/https://invisiblechildren.com/ Sign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary
Beyond “AI for Good”: Building Responsible AI
Jan 2200:50:17Summary readyAI is moving fast in global health and development, but good intentions alone don’t guarantee good outcomes. In this episode of High-Impact Growth, we sit down with Genevieve Smith, Founding Director of the Responsible AI Initiative at UC Berkeley’s AI Research Lab, to unpack what it really means to build and deploy AI responsibly in contexts that matter most.Drawing on a decade of experience in international development and cutting-edge research on AI bias, Genevieve explains why labeling a project “AI for good” isn’t enough. She introduces five critical lenses – fairness, privacy, security, transparency, and accountability – that program managers and product leaders must apply to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities or creating new risks.The conversation explores real-world examples, from AI-driven credit assessments that unintentionally disadvantage women, to the challenges of deploying generative AI in low-resource and multilingual settings. Genevieve also shares emerging alternatives, like data cooperatives, that give communities governance over how their data is used, shifting power toward trust, agency, and long-term impact.This episode offers practical insights for anyone navigating the hype, pressure, and promise of AI in development, and looking to get it right.Responsible AI Initiative – UC Berkeley AI Research Lab – A multidisciplinary initiative advancing research and practice around responsible, trustworthy AI.Mitigating Bias in Artificial Intelligence - A playbook for business leaders who build & use AI to unlock value responsibly & equitablyUC Berkeley AI Research (BAIR) – A leading AI research lab focused on advancing the science and real-world impact of artificial intelligence.Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT) Conference – A major interdisciplinary conference on ethical and responsible AI systems.UN Women – An organization referenced in Genevieve’s background, focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment globally.International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) – A research organization mentioned in the episode, specializing in gender, equity, and inclusive development.Sign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary[Pods Fight Poverty Re-Air] How GiveDirectly is Changing Aid
Dec 1800:42:04Summary readyToday’s episode is a re-air in support of Pods Fight Poverty, a campaign from our friends at GiveDirectly. You can learn more and donate at: GiveDirectly.org/DimagiUpdate: You can learn about the impact of this campaign here.—-In this episode, we’re joined by Stella Luk, Regional Director at GiveDirectly, and Erin Quinn, Dimagi’s Senior Director of Customer Success, to explore a fundamental question: What if, instead of aid programs deciding what communities need, we simply gave people cash and trusted them to make the best choices for themselves?GiveDirectly has pioneered direct, unconditional cash transfers to people living in extreme poverty, challenging long-held assumptions about traditional aid. Stella shares powerful insights from the field—how cash empowers recipients with dignity, choice, and long-term impact. We also discuss the skepticism surrounding cash transfers, the evidence supporting their effectiveness, and how technology is helping reach those most in need.With global development funding in flux, could direct cash transfers be the future of aid? Listen in for a thought-provoking conversation on how this model is reshaping humanitarian response and development efforts worldwide.Related Resources: GiveDirectly.orgDebunking 5 myths about cash transfersKenya study comparing lump and flow study done by Abhijit BanerjeeUgandan youths given $382 earned 38% more 4 years laterRelated and referenced podcast episodes: The Journey to Scale: Lessons learned from supporting the largest digitally-enabled Frontline Worker program in the world with Kriti Mehrotra, Shayoni Mazumdar and Stella LukImproving Health Worker Jobs to Improve Outcomes with CommCare ConnectSign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary
What Makes a Dollar Matter? Lessons from Coefficient Giving
Dec 1000:52:04Summary readyWhat if you could identify exactly where your philanthropic dollar would save the most lives or improve the most years of healthy living? In this episode, Deena Mousa, lead researcher at Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy), walks us through the rigorous frameworks that guide one of the world's most analytically driven funders. From evaluating causes using importance, neglectedness, and tractability, to calculating social return on investment, Deena explains how Coefficient Giving approaches everything from malaria prevention to AI's potential in low-resource settings. The conversation explores why AI hasn't replaced radiologists despite predictions a decade ago, and what that teaches us about deploying technology in complex systems. Deena also shares how improving AI performance in low-resource languages could dramatically shift the trajectory of global health equity. If you're curious about evidence-based philanthropy, the real-world challenges of AI deployment in global health, or how to learn as fast as possible when making high-stakes funding decisions, this conversation offers a masterclass in thoughtful impact maximization.
Summary
The Thinking You Can't Skip: AI for Good at a Crossroads
Nov 1300:53:55Summary readyIn part four of our AI for Good series, hosts Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro reconnect with Brian DeRenzi, Dimagi's VP of AI and Research, to explore how AI is evolving—and what it still can't do. Since our last conversation, technology has made staggering leaps, but the global health sector has also been rocked by funding cuts, creating massive tension between potential and reality.Brian shares why AI accelerates human intention but can never replace critical thinking. And we dig into Dimagi's research on hidden bias in frontier models and AI’s performance in low resource languages. We explore the risks of "AI pilotitus," why you must review transcripts by hand, and Jonathan's advice: only build AI projects you're ready to leave on at scale.This conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone wondering how to responsibly apply AI right now. Essential listening for global health professionals, social entrepreneurs, funders, and tech leaders navigating the AI revolution.Related Resources:Previous AI for Good series: Part 1: Equity and AI in Global Health: Exploring Large Language Models, Building Chatbots and Embracing DiscomfortPart 2 : Equity and AI in Global Health: leveraging AI to benefit underserved populations and dispel Inequitable Dystopia Part 3: What’s New in AI: Equity-enhancing use cases and Open Chat StudioSign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary
Funders: The Power to Change the System
Oct 2700:49:47Summary readyWhat comes next in a world where old funding models are breaking down? Our guest, Dr. Kevin Starr, CEO of the Mulago Foundation, argues this shift isn't a crisis but a "much needed reality bath". After a personal tragedy sent him stumbling from medicine into philanthropy, Kevin built one of the most respected impact-focused foundations. In this conversation, we explore Mulago's unique model of providing unrestricted, continued funding to "irrepressible" entrepreneurs through their Rainer Arnhold Fellows Program. Kevin shares his sharp critique of "zombie organizations" and why he believes "Big Aid was never a real path to scale". We dig into his core frameworks for impact, including designing for "no additional spend" and identifying the "payer and doer at scale". He makes a powerful case that funders hold the "ultimate power" to create an effective market for impact, if they choose to use it.
Summary
A Radical Bet on Simplicity and Affordability
Oct 900:48:45Summary readyIn early 2025, massive funding cuts from USAID sent shockwaves through the global development sector, leaving many to wonder what would come next. The money was gone, but the problems remained. In this follow-up conversation, Dimagi Managing Directors Gillian Javetski and Ismaïla Diene rejoin the podcast to discuss the aftermath and the unexpected "diamonds" created from the pressure. They share how the crisis forced a pivot from large, custom-built projects to a new model centered on radical simplicity, focus, and affordability. This candid discussion explores the divergence happening among digital public goods, the necessity of sustainable business models, and why the most important question is no longer "what new feature can we build?" but "can we make the existing value radically cheaper?". Discover how this shift led Dimagi to a bold new offering: a national-scale community health information system (eCHIS) for just $5,000 a month—a fraction of the historical cost.Related Resources:What’s New in CommCare Webinar recordingThe Next Generation Electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) DeckCommCare Provider programBig Enough. Simple Enough. Cheap Enough by Kevin Starr in the Stanford Social Innovation ReviewSign up to our newsletter, and stay informed of Dimagi’s workWe are on social media - follow us for the latest from Dimagi: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YoutubeIf you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson and Amie Vaccaro
Summary
Leading Through Chaos: Jayson Morris on Grief, Healing, and Emergent Leadership
Sep 2200:54:57Summary readyWhat happens when the leadership skills that once fueled success no longer serve in today’s climate of uncertainty? In this episode of High Impact Growth, leadership coach Jayson Morris returns for a candid conversation with Dimagi CEO Jonathan Jackson and host Amie Vaccaro. Together, they explore how leaders can navigate grief, anger, and fear while still showing up with authenticity and resilience.Jayson unpacks the idea of the “leader as healer,” the power of embracing emergence over rigid strategic plans, and why slowing down can actually help teams move faster. You’ll also hear honest reflections on burnout, balancing boldness with humility, and the struggle between “going down swinging” versus pivoting to new opportunities.If you’re leading a team through turbulent times, this conversation offers practical wisdom, and much-needed reassurance, that you’re not alone.
Summary