Project Title: Building the Evidence Base: Advancing Maternal Health through Ultrasound Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa
Inteleos Foundation
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| Project Title | Building the Evidence Base: Advancing Maternal Health through Ultrasound Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Project Topics | Corporate Social Responsibility Data Management Growth Strategy International Affairs Policy Research, Policy Advocacy for Evidence based Policy Making Political Organization, Policy Change, and Advocacy Public Administration Research, Analysis, Evaluation Training & Development |
| Skills & Expertise | Excel/Google Sheets financing analysis global health research methods impact evaluation modeling IRB protocol design literature review databases maternal health metrics mplementation science PowerPoint/Google Slides regulatory review stakeholder mapping structured AI-assisted research synthesis tools study design frameworks systems thinking |
| Project Synopsis: Challenge/Opportunity | Maternal mortality remains one of the most urgent global health challenges, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where systemic gaps in early diagnosis, referral coordination, workforce capacity, and infrastructure continue to limit preventable maternal deaths. While point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has demonstrated transformative potential in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes, its scalable, evidence-backed integration into national health systems remains inconsistent. The Inteleos Foundation’s MedMissions Award 2026 initiative brings together a consortium of 6 Health NGOs, 5 Ministries of Health, and 1 corporate sponsor to explore structured ultrasound deployment in low-resource maternal health environments. However, for sustainable expansion and long-term funding, implementation must be supported by a robust evidence base demonstrating measurable clinical impact, cost-effectiveness, regulatory feasibility, and policy integration potential. The central challenge for this competition is: How can Inteleos Foundation design a multi-country research and implementation strategy that rigorously demonstrates the impact of point-of-care ultrasound on maternal health outcomes — while building a scalable, funder-attractive, policy-ready model for long-term adoption across Sub-Saharan Africa? This competition asks students to think beyond program design and into systems-level impact — combining implementation science, research design, regulatory awareness, and financing strategy into a unified, actionable framework.
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| Project Synopsis: Activities/Actions Required | Student teams will complete the following structured components: 1. Evidence Landscape & Gap Analysis Conduct a focused literature and data review to identify gaps in:
Teams must clearly articulate:
2. Multi-Country Research Design Proposal (IRB-Ready Framework) Develop a structured research proposal suitable for IRB submission that:
The proposal must address:
3. Fundability & Impact Validation Framework Identify and justify which metrics would most attract:
Teams must propose measurable indicators such as:
Students must connect impact metrics to funding narratives. 4. Post-Implementation Scaling Strategy Develop a practical scaling model that:
Teams must articulate how early results transition into policy integration and scaled adoption. 5. “MedMissions Playbook” Blueprint Design a structured playbook that captures:
This playbook should function as a replicable guide for future maternal health ultrasound initiatives. |
| Project Synopsis: Expected Results | Winning teams will demonstrate:
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Project Timeline
Inteleos Foundation - Building the Evidence Base: Advancing Maternal Health through Ultrasound Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Due Date
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Activities |
Deliverables
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Status
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Action | |
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Sun, 03/15/26
11:59 PM
UTC
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PRE-KICKOFF SELF EVAL
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Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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Mon, 03/16/26
12:00 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Project Kickoff Webinar
Recording Linked
AGENDA: - About the Competition - About the Company - Project Goals - Grading Rubric - Open Q&A |
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
Recording Linked
AGENDA: - About the Competition - About the Company - Project Goals - Grading Rubric - Open Q&A Location: Virtual
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Fri, 03/20/26
12:00 AM
UTC
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Milestone 1: Evidence Landscape & Maternal Health System Reality Check
Objective: Build a shared, evidence-based understanding of (1) maternal mortality drivers in Sub-Saharan Africa and (2) where ultrasound can credibly shift outcomes — then identify the most important evidence gaps the MedMissions Award should aim to fill. Guiding Questions:
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Optional Deliverable
Deliverables are suggested but not required.
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Guiding Questions:
Objective: Build a shared, evidence-based understanding of (1) maternal mortality drivers in Sub-Saharan Africa and (2) where ultrasound can credibly shift outcomes — then identify the most important evidence gaps the MedMissions Award should aim to fill. Guiding Questions:
Deliverable Instructions:
NO FORMAL DELIVERABLE REQUIRED But we strongly recommend you create:
SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR Q&A WEBINAR:
https://forms.gle/Ud41R8RkP68enrHx5 |
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Tue, 03/24/26
5:00 PM
US/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Submit Questions for Q&A In Advance
Last Day to Submit your Questions in Advance: https://forms.gle/Ud41R8RkP68enrHx5
Questions Should Be Submitted by Wednesday, March 24th by 5 PM ET at the LATEST |
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
Last Day to Submit your Questions in Advance: https://forms.gle/Ud41R8RkP68enrHx5
Questions Should Be Submitted by Wednesday, March 24th by 5 PM ET at the LATEST |
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Wed, 03/25/26
12:00 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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SENSITIVE DATA DUMP (SEE "RESOURCES" TAB)
LAST DAY TO SIGN NDA (OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM PROGRAM) BEFORE SENSITIVE DATA IS UPLOADED TO RESOURCES TAB
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No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
LAST DAY TO SIGN NDA (OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM PROGRAM) BEFORE SENSITIVE DATA IS UPLOADED TO RESOURCES TAB
Location: In Person
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Wed, 03/25/26
2:00 PM
Canada/Central (UTC-05:00)
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Signed NDA
Required Action Item
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Required Deliverable
Deliverable submission is required.
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Attachments:
Deliverable Instructions:
Please download, sign, and upload an executed version of the NDA from the Resources Tab
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Fri, 03/27/26
1:00 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Q&A Webinar
Web Conference Recording: https://www.loom.com/share/9414d5e335e747ea89d54ec984f6e977
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No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
Web Conference Recording: https://www.loom.com/share/9414d5e335e747ea89d54ec984f6e977
Location: Virtual
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Sun, 03/29/26
12:00 AM
UTC
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Milestone 2: Research Design + IRB-Ready Evaluation Architecture
Objective: Design a multi-country evaluation approach that is rigorous enough to be credible, realistic enough to execute, and structured enough to support IRB submission across multiple contexts.
Guiding Questions:
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Optional Deliverable
Deliverables are suggested but not required.
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Guiding Questions:
Objective: Design a multi-country evaluation approach that is rigorous enough to be credible, realistic enough to execute, and structured enough to support IRB submission across multiple contexts.
Guiding Questions:
Deliverable Instructions:
NO FORMAL DELIVERABLE REQUIRED But we strongly recommend you create:
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Mon, 03/30/26
12:00 AM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Schedule Office Hours
Please use this Calendly Scheduler Link to schedule office hours with the Inteleos team: https://scheduler.zoom.us/sam-forcum-inteleos-foundation/inteleos-foundation-office-hours
You may schedule up to one (1) 15-minute office hours session. We recommend that you choose a time where your whole team can be present. Please make sure to be prepared and professional. |
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
Please use this Calendly Scheduler Link to schedule office hours with the Inteleos team: https://scheduler.zoom.us/sam-forcum-inteleos-foundation/inteleos-foundation-office-hours
You may schedule up to one (1) 15-minute office hours session. We recommend that you choose a time where your whole team can be present. Please make sure to be prepared and professional. Location: In Person
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Thu, 04/02/26
11:59 PM
UTC
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Temperature Check (Mandatory Evaluation)
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Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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Fri, 04/03/26
12:00 AM
UTC
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Milestone 3: Fundability & Impact Validation Strategy
Objective: Translate the research plan into a funder-credible “return on impact” story — including the metrics that matter most, the cost-effectiveness logic, and the risk mitigation that makes the program investable.
Guiding Questions:
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Optional Deliverable
Deliverables are suggested but not required.
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Guiding Questions:
Objective: Translate the research plan into a funder-credible “return on impact” story — including the metrics that matter most, the cost-effectiveness logic, and the risk mitigation that makes the program investable.
Guiding Questions:
Deliverable Instructions:
NO FORMAL DELIVERABLE REQUIRED But we strongly recommend you create:
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Fri, 04/03/26
12:00 AM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Office Hours Closed!
This is the last day to schedule office hours!
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No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
This is the last day to schedule office hours!
Location: In Person
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Thu, 04/09/26
5:00 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Milestone 4: MedMissions Scaling Playbook + Written Memo Requirements
Required Deliverable
Objective: Produce an execution-ready model that Ministries of Health can adopt and funders can back — including a replication playbook that turns early results into policy integration and scale.
Guiding Questions:
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Required Deliverable
Deliverable submission is required.
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Guiding Questions:
Objective: Produce an execution-ready model that Ministries of Health can adopt and funders can back — including a replication playbook that turns early results into policy integration and scale.
Guiding Questions:
Deliverable Instructions:
UPLOAD WRITTEN MEMO SUBMISSION (MANDATORY) Submit your Executive Pre-Read outlining your full research, implementation, and scaling strategy. Your memo should include:
Format: any length, any format — but it should be polished, easy to follow, and include visuals/tables where helpful.
Quality bar: Strong submissions are clear on (1) what success means, (2) how it will be measured, (3) how the evaluation avoids bias, and (4) what a Ministry of Health would need to adopt the model at scale. |
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Mon, 04/13/26
12:00 AM
UTC
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Top 12 Teams Announced & Final Presentation Schedule Announced
Inteleos and their panel of judges will be using your Executive Email Written Submissions to determine which Top 12 Performing teams will present live virtually on Friday, April 17, 2026
This will be communicated by email update |
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
Inteleos and their panel of judges will be using your Executive Email Written Submissions to determine which Top 12 Performing teams will present live virtually on Friday, April 17, 2026
This will be communicated by email update Location: Virtual
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Thu, 04/16/26
11:59 PM
US/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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UPLOAD FINAL PRESENTATION (MANDATORY)
Required Deliverable
Objective:
Submit the 10-minute presentation deck that you plan to deliver to the Inteleos leadership panel. You MUST submit this in advance of your final presentation, or you will be disqualified. |
Required Deliverable
Deliverable submission is required.
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Guiding Questions:
Objective:
Submit the 10-minute presentation deck that you plan to deliver to the Inteleos leadership panel. You MUST submit this in advance of your final presentation, or you will be disqualified. Deliverable Instructions:
Your Presentation Should Include:
Visual clarity, structured thinking, and practical realism will be critical.
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Fri, 04/17/26
10:00 AM
UTC
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FINAL PRESENTATIONS!
Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4082595973 Final Presentation Schedule (Eastern Time, ET) 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM | HAUlding Hands 10:20 AM - 10:35 AM | Accoun-Tensity 10:40 AM - 11:55 AM | PowerHAUs 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM | The StratEdgers 12:20 PM - 12:35 PM | Frontier Consultants 12:40 PM - 12:55 PM | Lindsey Wilson Group 23 1:00 PM - 1:15 PM | Obi-Scan Kenobi 1:20 PM - 1:35 PM | BlueWave Imaging Solutions 1:40 PM - 1:55 PM | Ramz Enterprises 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM | Lewis & Clark 2:20 PM - 2:35 PM | The Executives 2:40 PM - 2:55 PM | Soundwave Survivors The top 12 teams based on graded written submissions will present virtually during one of these slots above |
Optional Deliverable
Deliverables are suggested but not required.
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Guiding Questions:
Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4082595973 Final Presentation Schedule (Eastern Time, ET) 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM | HAUlding Hands 10:20 AM - 10:35 AM | Accoun-Tensity 10:40 AM - 11:55 AM | PowerHAUs 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM | The StratEdgers 12:20 PM - 12:35 PM | Frontier Consultants 12:40 PM - 12:55 PM | Lindsey Wilson Group 23 1:00 PM - 1:15 PM | Obi-Scan Kenobi 1:20 PM - 1:35 PM | BlueWave Imaging Solutions 1:40 PM - 1:55 PM | Ramz Enterprises 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM | Lewis & Clark 2:20 PM - 2:35 PM | The Executives 2:40 PM - 2:55 PM | Soundwave Survivors The top 12 teams based on graded written submissions will present virtually during one of these slots above Location: Virtual
Deliverable Instructions:
Presentations should be 10 Minutes + 5 Minutes of Q&A
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Mon, 04/27/26
1:00 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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Awards Ceremony
Join us for an awards session and debrief with the Inteleos team! Discover which teams were the top performers and learn more about their approach. Congratulate the teams winning these top prizes.... and potentially paid summer internship(s)!
1st Place Team Prize - $800 2nd Place Team Prize - $400 3rd Place Team Prize - $200 Web Conference Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4082595973 |
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
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Guiding Questions:
Join us for an awards session and debrief with the Inteleos team! Discover which teams were the top performers and learn more about their approach. Congratulate the teams winning these top prizes.... and potentially paid summer internship(s)!
1st Place Team Prize - $800 2nd Place Team Prize - $400 3rd Place Team Prize - $200 Web Conference Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4082595973 Location: Virtual
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Tue, 04/28/26
11:59 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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End of Project Peer Reflection (Mandatory)
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Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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Tue, 04/28/26
11:59 PM
Canada/Eastern (UTC-04:00)
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End of Project Self Reflection (Mandatory)
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Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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