Enrollment for the Sep-Nov 2025 course is now closed.

Thanks for your interest in our Launch course. Enrollment for the Sep-Nov 2025 course is now closed. We aim to offer this course again in January 2026.
Please sign up to our newsletter to receive an invitation as soon as the dates are set.

Welcome! If you are here you're likely considering consulting as a next step.

If you’ve been working in global health, aid, or development, you’ve probably felt it:

  • Funding cuts and program closures leaving talented professionals scrambling.

  • Repetitive roles with little growth or creativity.

  • The frustration of being pigeonholed into one narrow area of expertise.

  • Relocation or family changes making it hard to find stable, flexible work.

Meanwhile, you see peers making the leap into consulting — designing careers that fit their lives.

You know you have the skillset needed, but you're not even sure where to start...


A Different Path Is Possible

We both started in consulting almost by accident, 10-12 years ago, thinking it would be something short-term until we found a job.

We had no idea how to get started. 

  • How to find our first clients
  • How to write a consultant format CV
  • How to write an invoice, or a proposal
  • Where to find assignments
  • How to set our rates


We eventually figured it out, but there was a lot of scrambling and patching things together. 

Today, we have both built successful and rewarding consulting careers.

Candela loves being able to work from any of the countries she calls home, from her home-office or her favorite café. She cherishes being able to organize her time to prioritize a school festival, lunch with a friend who needs to chat, or breakfast with family. She enjoys being able to work on a variety of different subjects and the challenge of diving deep and fast into a new area.

Jami appreciated being able to scale her work up or down through her kids' early years. She enjoys stepping out of her comfort zone, and gaining insight into a range of organizational cultures. She loves the discipline and focus required in consulting to stay on track to solve a client’s problem.

The good news? There's not one single "right" solution.

Candela runs a small, fully-remote organization called Alanda, working with clients all over the world, mostly undertaking well-defined, short-term projects.  

Jami works as an independent consultant, in a mix of long- and short-term remote contracts from her home office in Cape Town. 

The similarities? We both built a thriving consulting career and enjoy the freedom and growth this brings us.

We want to show you how to do the same.

Welcome to our Launch course

A step-by-step online course designed for health and development professionals who want to build an independent consulting career.

We talked to many of you while conceiving and designing Launch. This is what we heard: 

  • “I don’t know how to find clients.”

  • “I’m not sure how to position myself as a consultant.”

  • “The admin side is overwhelming — contracts, invoices, registrations.”

  • “What if I can’t make a consistent income?”

Launch gives you the tools, templates, and guidance to get started, land your first client and set yourself up for success and growth.

What you'll gain from Launch

By the end of the program, you’ll know exactly how to:

  • Define your consulting path – the different models of consulting (per assignment, hourly, umbrella company, salaried consultant) and which ones fit your life.

  • Position yourself as a consultant – how to craft a consultant CV, reframe your experience, and present yourself as a credible expert.

  • Find and win assignments – where opportunities are posted, how to network strategically, and how to write winning proposals.

  • Set your rates and negotiate with confidence – so you stop undercharging and start earning based on the value you bring.

  • Handle the business side with ease – contracts, invoices, registrations, accounting systems, and templates that make the admin stress-free.

  • Build long-term sustainability – how to balance projects, avoid feast-or-famine income cycles, and grow your consulting career over time.

What working with us looks like

This is the first time we're giving this course. Here you can read what people say about learning with us in other courses.

“What truly sets Jami apart is her exceptional coaching ability. Her deep expertise in Global Health and ability to navigate complex consultancy landscapes were instrumental in shaping my professional growth. She not only understands how to win consultancy work but also how to excel in delivering high-impact results. For anyone looking to break into consultancy or elevate their expertise in Global Health, Jami offers unparalleled insights, strategies, and mentorship.”

Katlego Motlogelwa

“The career chats with Candela have been massively helpful in guiding my chaotic thoughts about a career in Global Health. Candela explained vague concepts like networking and career trajectory in concrete terms with actionable steps that made the world of job searching a lot less intimidating. A down-to-earth view on things was just what I needed!”

Dorien Lijnzaad

“When I was first starting to take on consulting opportunities, I found Jami’s support to be incredibly useful in navigating some of the challenging aspects of getting into consulting. She helped to reduce the overwhelm of transitioning away from a staff role by sharing her practical experiences, and she served as a strategic sounding board as I refined my professional focus.”

Parijat Baijal

“The Thrive course created a safe and conducive environment to ask questions, learn/discuss practical strategies to navigate various questions and situations we may face in seeking a meaningful career in public health/global health! It was so refreshing, encouraging, and energizing to hear Candela Iglesias Chiesa share about her journey so generously and candidly including her struggles and what she has learnt along the way. There are many actionable ideas, which one can tailor and adapt to one’s unique situation. ”

Sapna Sadarangani

“Prior to the course, I was feeling defeated by the job search process. I was unsure of what roles would be the best fit for me and how to successfully transition from the clinical / acute care world into the global health / humanitarian sector. Through the course, I’ve gained the tools, resources, and confidence needed to shift careers. Candela’s video modules are filled with career development insights, helpful tips, and actionable recommendations. The added handouts and bonus materials are a great addition! The materials are easy to navigate and the perfect length. You can move through them in a weekend or over the course of several weeks. I appreciated the opportunity to build community with others who are new (and not so new) to global health, share resources, and learn from everyone’s unique background and experiences! ”

Kaitlyn Farrell

Is Launch right for you?

Launch is for you if:

  • You’re considering consulting but don’t know where to start.

  • You’ve done a few small assignments but want to build consistency and confidence.

  • You’re looking for more flexibility, balance, and control over your career.

  • You want to keep making an impact in health and development — on your own terms.

Who we are

We have over 22 years of combined consulting experience with a wide range of organizations.

Jami Johnson Darkoh

Senior Instructor

Global health consultant with 20+ years of experience supporting organizations to achieve impact. After transitioning to independent consulting in 2013, she has worked with large multilateral organizations (Gavi, the Global Fund, UNAIDS, etc) to grassroots NGOs, specializing in monitoring and evaluation, capacity development, process improvement, and project management. Jami combines sector expertise with pragmatic approaches to help professionals launch successful independent consulting practices.

Candela Iglesias Chiesa

Senior Instructor

Global health specialist advancing evidence-based solutions. After 5 years of working as an independent consultant, she founded Alanda Health in 2020, where she supports organizations worldwide to maximize impact and funding through better evidence generation, sharing and use, as well as smarter training based on adult learning science. She has worked with the Red Cross Movement, NGOs, UNICEF, WHO-PAHO, The World Bank, as well as academic organizations. With 18+ years of experience across Africa and Latin America, she bridges research and real-world implementation. She holds an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and did her Ph.D. at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. She’s a board member of Women in Global Health Norway and a guest lecturer at the University of Maastricht, University of Stavanger and the Management Center Innsbruck.

Take the first step into your new path

You already have the skills, network, and expertise to thrive as a consultant. What’s missing is the roadmap.

That’s what Launch gives you.

It’s been a tough year. It can also be a year of new opportunities, of finally building a career that gives you the freedom, flexibility, and impact you want.

We’d love to see you inside.

Join us for Launch

Spots are limited. We start Sept 10, 2025.

Join Us Inside Launch

We’re opening enrollment for our first pilot cohort this September. Spots are limited because we’ll be working with you closely to guide you through the process.

📅 Course Start: September 10, 2025

📅 Course Ends: November 19, 2025

🎯 Includes: 

  • Eight live training modules with us, so we can exchange and answer your questions.
  • Two work huddles to get the accountability you need for the hard steps.
  • Templates and tools from invoices to proposals. 
  • Strategic exercises to help you figure out your positioning, niche and next steps.
  • One year access to all materials and recordings so you can go back as many times as needed.


Course curriculum

This is what we'll cover:

    1. Introduction to this course

    1. What is an independent consultant?

    2. Consultant work: a wide spectrum

    3. The pros and cons of consulting

    4. What makes for a good consultant?

    5. Opportunities for junior and senior level of experience

    6. Identifying your niche

    7. Tool: Finding your value proposition

    8. Consulting 101 - live session slides

    9. Consulting 101 - live session recording

    1. Types of consulting products (deliverables)

    2. Types of services

    3. Options for registration structures

    4. How does consulting work? - live session slides

    5. How does consulting work - live session recording

    6. Tool: Preferences worksheet (Consultancy type reflection matrix)

    1. Ways to find clients and opportunities

    2. Tool: Relationship Management Tracker

    3. Tool: templates for friendly emails

    4. Finding clients and networking - live session slides

    5. Finding clients and networking - live session recording

    1. Contracting entry points

    2. Understanding key terminology and the process

    3. Unpacking the TOR

    4. Key tips and tricks

    5. Exercise: Figuring out the key pieces of a ToR

    6. How to get contracted - live session slides

    7. How to get contracted - live session recording

    1. Components of a proposal

    2. Tips for a winning proposal

    3. How to write a winning proposal - live session recording

    4. How to write a winning proposal - live session slides

    5. Example of a winning proposal

    6. CV example - Candela's very first consultant CV

    7. Example of template to organize your consultant network

About this course

  • 8 live training sessions
  • 2 work huddles
  • Strategic exercises, tools and templates

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Still unclear? Read more about the course here!

  • Who is this course for?

    LAUNCH is best suited for health, humanitarian and development professionals with some years of experience who are ready to jump into consulting and want the guidance, tools and support to do so faster and more efficiently.

  • I'm not sure if I want to/ I'm ready to go into consulting. Is this course for me?

    If you're unsure if you want to jump into consulting at this point, this course might not be your best investment. People who are ready to roll up their sleeves and take the steps outlined here to land their first clients and set up a consulting practice will benefit the most. That said, some people feel unsure because they don't know what the steps are. If that is you, this course may give you the clarity you need.

  • What if I can't make the live trainings?

    Every live training is recorded and will become available on the course's webpage 24 hrs after the training. You can watch the recording whenever it's most convenient for you. If you have questions for the instructors for a particular training, you can send them in via email in advance and they will be answered during the llive training.

  • How long will I have access to the materials?

    The materials will be available on the course's page for at least a year, potentially longer if we keep offering the course. You'll also have access to any new materials we develop as we continue offering the course.

  • Who is this course NOT for?

    This course is tailored for people in the humanitarian and development consulting fields. People from other sectors might not benefit as much. In addition, people who are not willing or able to do the exercises, participate actively in the trainings and huddles, might not get as much value.

Pricing options - based on your location

Join our pilot course - 50% off the regular price

We offer tiered pricing based on regional economic differences to make this course accessible worldwide. We're also launching this first course at 50% off the regular price. Our request is that you give us feedback to keep improving it for others.


For participants in Africa, Asia & Latin America (OECD DAC countries)

Regular Price: 247 EUR

Pilot Launch Price: 124 EUR (50% off - use coupon code “pilot1” at checkout)


For participants in Europe, North America, Middle East, Australia & New Zealand

Regular Price: 697 EUR

Pilot Launch Price: 349 EUR (50% -use coupon code “pilot2” at checkout)

Send an email to [email protected] if you experience any difficulties at checkout.

A successful consulting career is possible

Let's transform challenges into opportunities. What do you want your career to look like in 2026?

Join our Launch course today. Seats are limited. We start September 10, 2025.
Enroll today