Innovative collaborations are reshaping the landscape of social services and healthcare, fostering more accessible and efficient care across communities. From Singapore to Nigeria, these partnerships are leveraging technology and collective efforts to address long-standing challenges and improve outcomes for those in need.
In Singapore, a pioneering initiative known as the Innovation Collective is setting a new standard for social service agencies. This collaborative effort, backed by a substantial investment from the Lien Foundation, aims to build innovation capabilities within social service agencies (SSAs) and foster a culture of experimentation and collaboration.
Singapore’s Innovation Collective: A New Model of Collaboration
The Innovation Collective, launched by Allkin Singapore, Care Corner Singapore, and Fei Yue community Services, is a sector-led collaboration designed to enhance the innovation capabilities of SSAs. With a S$3.9 million investment from the Lien Foundation over three years, this initiative comprises three dedicated innovation teams, each housed within one SSA.
About S$3.1 million of the funding will be allocated to manpower, while the remaining amount will support the innovation process, including prototyping tools, user research, leadership workshops, and external consultancies. Luo Ren, programme director of Lien Foundation, emphasized that the bulk of the funding goes towards hiring experienced talent in software engineering, design, and product management—capabilities most SSAs currently lack in-house.
Each SSA will have dedicated innovation teams, with Allkin and Fei Yue receiving support for two hires each, and Care Corner hiring three people. To encourage long-term sustainability, each SSA will self-fund one headcount from the outset, increasing to two in the third year as the Lien Foundation’s contribution steps down.
Co-Developing Solutions and Building a Culture of Innovation
The teams will co-develop solutions with social work professionals while building a culture within their SSA that encourages experimentation and collaboration. Although the three SSAs will work together on joint projects tackling common challenges, they will also develop their own innovation capabilities, which can be shared within the collective.
Christian Chao, CEO of Care Corner, noted that every project must address a shared challenge, benefit more than one agency, and be scalable. Fareez Fahmy, CEO of Allkin, highlighted the importance of design thinking in understanding clients’ needs before developing solutions. Meanwhile, Arthur Ling, CEO of Fei Yue, emphasized the role of artificial intelligence and digital innovation in augmenting professional practice and improving operational efficiency.
Nigeria’s Health System: Beyond Digital Innovation
In Nigeria, experts are calling for a more holistic approach to strengthening the healthcare system. At the Insights Learning Forum (ILF) 2026, held in Abuja, health and technology experts warned that digital innovations alone cannot fix the country’s healthcare challenges. They urged governments and development partners to prioritize sustainable financing and institutional ownership.
Ota Akhigbe, Director of Partnerships and Programmes at eHealth Africa, emphasized that the success of digital health initiatives should be measured by their ability to remain functional long after implementation. She called for prioritizing institutional ownership, sustainable financing, and accountability to ensure these interventions outlive donor funding.
Adam Thompson, Group Chief Executive Officer of eHealth Africa, shared insights from nearly two decades of experience. He explained that digital platforms can only succeed when supported by reliable infrastructure, trained personnel, logistics, and operational systems. Thompson highlighted the importance of efficient financing systems, especially during public health emergencies, where the speed of fund release can determine the success of response efforts.
Improving Primary Healthcare and Partnerships
Thompson also reflected on lessons from eHealth Africa’s investment in primary healthcare through its eHA Clinics initiative. He argued that health systems should be designed to reach patients much earlier, ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment. Thompson questioned why many professionals working to improve primary healthcare facilities would not choose those same facilities for themselves or their families, using this question to shape eHealth Africa’s approach to improving quality of care.
Partnerships have been central to eHealth Africa’s work, with the organization supporting several partners by sharing office space, technical expertise, logistics, and operational resources. Thompson thanked governments, development partners, and other organizations that have collaborated with eHealth Africa over the years.
Early Childhood Intervention: Connecting Families with Essential Services
In south Brisbane, an early childhood intervention initiative is helping parents identify developmental concerns in young children. The Thriving and On Track (TOTs) program, run as a collaboration between several groups by the Primary Health Network (PHN) in the region, aims to deliver allied health and early intervention services to families at the places they already frequent, such as community hubs, daycares, and early learning centres.
The program has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, who appreciate the convenience and seamless access to essential services. By meeting parents where they are, the TOTs program is making a significant impact on early childhood development and support.
These innovative collaborations in Singapore, Nigeria, and Australia demonstrate the power of collective efforts in reshaping social services and healthcare. By leveraging technology, fostering partnerships, and prioritizing sustainable financing, these initiatives are paving the way for more accessible, efficient, and effective care across communities.
