The Challenge Initiative (TCI) announced today that its digital learning platform, TCI University (TCI-U), has been named a Silver Winner in the Health – Product, Innovation, or Service Category for Best Education or Literacy Platform in the 5th Annual Anthem Awards. Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Judges for the 5th Annual Anthem Awards include leaders from organizations such as the American Heart Association, Gates Foundation, IKEA, Land O’Lakes, NAACP, Planned Parenthood, REI Co-op, TikTok, and Tom’s of Maine, among others.
This has been a challenging year for the impact sector, but the Winners of the 5th Annual Anthem Awards have shown their resilience and continued commitment to a better tomorrow,” said Anthem Awards General Manager, Patricia McLoughlin. “This year’s winners are a source of hope, and I am excited to celebrate their work with the world today.
TCI University is TCI’s global learning hub, offering step-by-step guidance, toolkits, coaching resources, and mobile access to proven interventions that strengthen reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health across Africa and Asia. With more than 23,000 registered users, 62,000 certificates earned, and nearly 18,000 trained coaches, TCI-U equips local governments and frontline health workers with the practical skills they need to expand voluntary family planning and MNCH services, strengthen health systems, and improve the lives of women and children.
TCI University is the key mechanism that enables local governments to lead and manage their own health programs with confidence,” said Kojo Lokko, TCI’s Executive Director. “This recognition belongs to our city and state partners and to the thousands of frontline health providers who turn learning into action every day. We’re grateful that the Anthem Awards are shining a light on their leadership and the impact they deliver for women, children, and communities.
The 5th Annual Anthem Awards received more than 2,000 submissions from 42 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards set a new benchmark for mission-driven work that inspires action in communities around the world. Last summer, the TCI-U mobile app received the Innovation Prize for Best Scale-Up at the 2025 International Digital Public Health (DPH) Conference in Madeira, Portugal, for its success in scaling digital learning across 13 countries. Building on a blended learning model, the app complements TCI-U’s web platform by enabling offline access, interactive toolkits, and on-the-go engagement by coaches and health workers to reach underserved urban settings and accelerate local ownership of health systems.
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About The Challenge Initiative Led by the William H. Gates Sr. Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, TCI empowers local governments to scale and sustain high-impact reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) interventions. Operating across 214 cities in 13 countries in Africa and Asia, TCI provides a demand-driven model grounded in local ownership, coaching, and digital learning through TCI University. Since its launch, TCI-supported geographies have reached nearly 6 million additional family planning clients, averted 2 million unintended pregnancies, prevented 1 million unplanned births, and saved an estimated 5,000 maternal lives.
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About The Anthem Awards 
Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose- and mission-driven work of people, companies, and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Awards set a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. This season’s sponsors and partners include AARP, Virgin Hotels NYC, The Bloom, The Social Innovation Summit, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, and TheFutureParty.
