Ewha Global Institute for Sustainable Partnership and Empowerment Selected for KOICA Project to Open Specialized Medical Center in Kenya
Ewha Womans University Medical Center (EUMC) has been selected as the Project Management Consultant (PMC) for a Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) project to establish a Specialized Medical Center (SMC) in Kajiado County, Kenya. The project aims at opening a medical service specializing in obstetrics & gynecology and pediatrics in Kajiado County, Kenya, where access to healthcare is limited and maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high. The initiative seeks to provide essential medical services to the community and contribute to strengthening the local healthcare infrastructure.
At the helm of this project is the Ewha Global Institute for Sustainable Partnership and Empowerment (EGISE), which was newly established in May 2025 to serve under the direct authority of the Office of the President of Ewha Womans University. EGISE will implement the KOICA project by forming a consortium with EUMC and Hyundai Asan, with a total project value of KRW 4.78 billion that will be provided until 2030. EGISE was founded as an international cooperation platform integrating education, research, and fieldwork in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and its selection for the KOICA project is viewed as a significant milestone that marks a global expansion of the women- and child-centered healthcare model. Ewha’s selection for the project is especially meaningful as a strategic turning point for expanding Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital’s “Mom–Baby Hospital” model for the international community.
The KOICA project will require EGISE to pursue key objectives that include the strengthening of the local healthcare workforce; an upgrade of Kenya’s operational and management systems; improvement of its clinical environment through the establishment of the specialized medical center; and the enhancement of healthcare governance in Kajiado County. Specialized personnel from EUMC and the Ewha College of Medicine will provide medical consultation in obstetrics & gynecology and pediatrics, as well as support to build a local healthcare system. Ewha Medical Academy will operate education and training programs to establish a sustainable framework for the development of medical professionals.
Ewha’s selection for this project is the result of international recognition for the university’s capabilities in healthcare and social contribution, and is expected to play a meaningful role in promoting maternal and child health and in expanding Korea’s healthcare system globally. Building on global partnerships, EGISE plans to further pursue its international cooperation initiatives, putting into practice Ewha’s vision, “To Lead the Era of the Great Transformation Through Inclusive Innovation.”
