As Senegal hosts the first-ever Olympic event on African soil, the Youth Olympic Games are providing an opportunity to unite young people around an important public health challenge: ending malaria. Taking advantage of the international sporting spotlight, Speak Up Africa, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, The Global Fund Advocates Network, Target Malaria and I AM Foundation have joined forces to launch Zero Malaria Next Play, an advocacy campaign designed to encourage young Africans to take an active role in the fight against the disease.
The initiative aims to amplify African voices, promote scientific innovation and strengthen calls for the political commitment and financial investment needed to eliminate malaria across the continent. In sport, the next play can change the direction of a game. The campaign applies that same idea to malaria elimination, highlighting how the next policy decision, scientific breakthrough, financial investment or generation of advocates could bring Africa closer to a malaria-free future.
“For 15 years, Speak Up Africa has worked to bring African voices, ideas and leadership to the forefront of the continent’s development agenda. We are investing in a generation that can connect science to society, transform visibility into influence and make the elimination of malaria a shared African ambition,” said Yacine Djibo, Founder and Executive Director of Speak Up Africa.
At the heart of Zero Malaria Next Play is the belief that young people have an important role to play in shaping public health priorities. By combining digital advocacy with community engagement, the campaign seeks to make malaria prevention more visible and encourage greater public participation in the fight against the disease. African scientists are also central to these efforts, with their research and innovations helping to advance the tools needed to tackle malaria. “African scientists are driving the innovations needed to end malaria. By amplifying their leadership and engaging a new generation, we can turn scientific progress into collective action and lasting impact,” said Dr. Michael Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.
A continent at the centre of the fight
Despite progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, malaria remains a major public health challenge, particularly in Africa. The continent accounts for 94% of malaria cases and 95% of deaths worldwide. Every minute, a child loses their life to a disease that is both preventable and treatable. Against this backdrop, the campaign aims to use the popularity of sport to reach young people and communities, making the fight against malaria more accessible and encouraging leaders to maintain their commitment to elimination.
Young people are not simply the audience for this message. They are being encouraged to become advocates who can influence public opinion, engage decision-makers and help build support for sustained action.
“By engaging young people in a digital campaign, the malaria community is amplifying their voices to call on leaders, the private sector, and donors to invest in a future free of malaria,” said Mouhamed Drabo, Stakeholder Engagement Officer at Target Malaria and former President of the Burkina Faso Basketball Federation. Available in both English and French, Zero Malaria Next Play features social media cards inspired by Olympic sports. The materials highlight key messages about malaria prevention and encourage the public to get involved, while drawing attention to a disease that continues to affect millions of people in malaria-endemic countries.
Bringing sport and public health closer to young people
Beyond its digital activities, Zero Malaria Next Play will bring young people, content creators, athletes and health advocates together through a series of events in Dakar during the Youth Olympic Games. On 11 November, a storytelling workshop will help content creators translate scientific evidence and policy priorities into clear, engaging narratives that resonate with local communities.
The aim is to make complex public health information easier to understand and share, helping ensure that accurate information about malaria reaches wider audiences. A second event is scheduled for 14 November, when a 3×3 basketball tournament will bring together young players from Senegal and Benin. Organised in collaboration with the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and I AM Foundation, the tournament will take place in Guédiawaye, on the outskirts of Dakar. Sporting champions, health advocates and community leaders are also expected to take part, using basketball as a platform to promote awareness and encourage young people to contribute to the fight against malaria.
“From Benin to Senegal, the I AM Foundation wants to build on the momentum of the Youth Olympic Games and show that athletes and young people can play a meaningful role in protecting the next generation,” said Ian Mahinmi, former NBA player and founder of I AM Foundation. The involvement of athletes and sporting organisations reflects the campaign’s wider ambition: to bring public health messages into spaces where young people already connect, participate and find inspiration.
Keeping the momentum alive beyond Dakar
For the organisations behind Zero Malaria Next Play, the campaign is intended to extend well beyond the Youth Olympic Games. Building on an initiative launched during the FIFA World Cup in July 2026, the movement is expected to continue at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The transition from one major sporting event to another offers an opportunity to maintain public interest in malaria elimination and expand the campaign’s reach across different African communities. The partnerships formed in Dakar, the stories shared and the young voices encouraged through the initiative are expected to contribute to a broader movement that connects sport, science and advocacy.
