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Our Approach
Nobody understands the barriers to care better than the people facing them. Health improves when people have power over their own care. That power is often suppressed — by fear, by lack of information, and by systems that weren't designed to listen.
But patients, communities, and health workers have the capacity to drive change. Matimba helps build the confidence, knowledge, and solidarity to make it happen.
Our health advocates — known as defensores de saúde — are the heart of our work. Rooted in 77 health facilities and surrounding communities, they are trained in health policy, rights, mediation, and grassroots organizing. They build health literacy and rights awareness, foster dialogue between patients and providers, and support health workers to deliver dignified care.
Patients and communities know what barriers stand in their way. Advocates help create the space and solidarity to name them — and the momentum to push for practical solutions. Change comes from the shared belief, among advocates, patients, and health workers alike, that injustice is not inevitable.
A health system gets stronger when pressure comes from both sides: communities demanding better care, and health workers equipped to deliver it. This is what drives everything we do.
When communities can safely voice concerns and health workers see themselves as partners in change, the entire dynamic shifts. Patients become active participants in their care, providers become quality champions, and systems become genuinely accountable to the people they serve.
We track every case we take on and every dialogue we facilitate — measuring not just what we do, but whether it works. Health advocates document cases and community dialogues in real time. This data flows into dashboards that reveal patterns, highlight best practices, and give communities and government concrete insight into how health policy plays out on the ground.
We also gather regular feedback directly from patients, communities, and health workers. Their experiences are our most honest measure of progress.
Our Theory of Change
Change on paper isn't enough; top-down healthcare reforms often fail to create durable improvements. Matimba's theory of change is grounded in a community-led approach that empowers people to understand their rights, demand better care, and reshape health systems. This hands-on engagement reveals how policies actually work in practice and generates evidence to improve them further.
Frontline Health Justice
Health System Transformation
Health Justice at Scale
“Thanks to the health advocate’s support, today there is a strong partnership between health facility staff and the community. Problems that once kept people from getting the care they needed — we now detect them early, sit together, and resolve them. You can feel it immediately: the voice of the community is strong, and it is respected. People now know their rights, and they know where to turn when they face barriers to health services. We are no longer afraid to speak up. And it is through that courage — to speak, to demand, to be heard — that people are able to access the care they deserve, and in doing so, liberate themselves and many others too.”