We are delighted to announce that Esther Ruiter has joined our Ambassadors Circle, bringing over 15 years of experience dedicated to strengthening healthcare systems.
Our Innovation Director, Karolina Mackiewicz, welcomed Esther:
“Esther is a highly dedicated and enthusiastic professional, deeply passionate about women’s and maternal health, and a true doer focused on delivering impactful, sustainable digital health solutions tailored to the African context. I know she will bring not only her expertise but also her heart to Global Health Connector’s work in women’s health, and I am truly happy to welcome her as a Global Health Connector Ambassador.”
Esther Ruiter is a registered midwife in Belgium and Kenya with over 15 years of experience dedicated to strengthening healthcare systems. As the Head of Midwifery and Systems Strengthening at Malaica, she is part of the team working on the integration of clinical excellence with management functions to improve maternal health outcomes across the region.
Her career is rooted in extensive clinical midwifery experience within both public and private healthcare settings, spanning frontline care, training, and senior management. This deep clinical foundation informs her strategic approach to health equity and her commitment to midwifery strengthening as a vital component of sustainable development.
Prior to joining Malaica, Esther served as the Head of Growth and Strategy at Africa Health Business (AHB), where she spent three years driving business development and partnership strategies. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (2021) and is a strong advocate for the essential role the private sector must play in building sustainable, high-quality healthcare systems.
Esther Ruiter joins the Global Health Connector Ambassador network with a strong sense of purpose, shaped by years of close collaboration and firsthand experience of the organisation’s impact.
Reflecting on her motivation, Esther shared:
“A strong motivation for me to join as a Global Health Connector Ambassador is through the partnership I have built with the team at GHC over the last few years. Having seen their impact firsthand, I believe deeply in their way of working to drive systemic change and create sustainable health solutions through a shared vision.I am personally most excited to bring my experience in maternal health and healthcare strategy to the Ambassador network. Having lived and worked in East Africa for the last 15 years, I look forward to contributing practical insights into how we can strengthen health systems and expand access to quality care. By joining this network, I hope to advocate for the essential role that clinical expertise and private-sector engagement play in achieving long-term health equity.”
With extensive experience in building sustainable health solutions through partnerships, Esther brings a clear perspective on the importance of CollaborAction in addressing complex healthcare challenges.
“I have always believed that partnerships and collaborations are the primary drivers that move us further, whether that is between local organisations, between sectors, or on a global stage. In my experience, no single entity can solve the complex challenges of healthcare alone.
CollaborAction embodies this belief by creating a framework where diverse stakeholders can align their goals for a common purpose. In African healthcare systems, this means moving beyond isolated projects toward integrated, sustainable solutions that leverage the strengths of both the public and private sectors. Being part of the Global Health Connector Ambassador network strengthens this mission by providing a platform to scale these collaborations, ensuring that we are taking collective action to build resilient maternal health systems.”