Africa’s first Youth Olympics rallies a generation against malaria

DAKAR, Senegal, 10 November 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – Senegal is hosting the Youth Olympic Games, the first ever Olympic event to take place on the African continent. Building on this momentum, Speak Up Africa, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, The Global Fund Advocates Network, Target Malaria and I AM Foundation partnered around Zero Malaria Next Play, an advocacy campaign seeking to empower a new generation of African voices to champion malaria elimination, strengthen youth engagement and build momentum for the political commitment and investment to end malaria in Africa.

In sport, the next play is a decisive move that can change the course of the game. In the fight against malaria, it is the next policy, the next scientific breakthrough, the next investment, and the next generation of advocates that will bring us closer to elimination.

“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.

This ambition is at the heart of Zero Malaria Next Play, which combines digital advocacy with community engagement to amplify African scientific innovation and mobilise a new generation against 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.

The campaign also harnesses the reach of sport to bring malaria advocacy closer to young people and communities. No region is more affected by malaria than Africa, which accounts for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths worldwide. Every minute, a child’s life is lost to a disease that is both preventable and treatable.

“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 English and French, the Zero Malaria Next Play campaign features social media cards inspired by Olympic sports and key messages to encourage the public to get involved in prevention efforts and give more visibility to a disease which greatly impacts the health of millions of people from malaria endemic countries. It aims at turning the visibility of Dakar 2026 into a platform to amplify African-led solutions, inspire greater public engagement and build sustained political and financial support for malaria elimination.

Rallying sports and youth to advance public health

A series of events powered by Speak Up Africa are scheduled in Dakar during the Youth Olympic Games:

• 11 November:

  A storytelling workshop developed to help content creators translate scientific evidence and policy priorities into accessible, locally relevant narratives

• 14 November:

  a 3×3 basketball tournament organised in collaboration with the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and I AM Foundation will convene young basketball players from Senegal and Benin, alongside sporting champions, health advocates and community leaders in Guédiawaye, in the outskirts of Dakar

“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,” concluded Ian Mahinmi, Former NBA Player and Founder of I AM Foundation.

For Speak Up Africa and its partners, Zero Malaria Next Play extends beyond the Games. Building from the campaign started during the FIFA World Cup in July 2026, the Next Play movement will continue its journey to the African Cup of Nations that will be held in East Africa in 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The connections forged in Dakar, the stories amplified and the voices empowered will continue to drive advocacy in the sporting arena and beyond, ensuring that the momentum generated translates into lasting action for a malaria-free future.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Target Malaria

About Speak Up Africa

Speak Up Africa is a Dakar-based organisation dedicated to building healthy, inclusive and sustainable African societies by placing African leadership, advocacy and collective action at the heart of its approach. Since 2011, the organisation has brought together governments, civil society, the private sector, media, researchers, communities and development partners to develop and amplify solutions tailored to African realities. Its work spans malaria elimination, health systems strengthening, sanitation and gender equality, with a particular focus on empowering women and young people and translating political commitments into measurable results.

Follow Speak Up Africa on Instagram and X.

About Target Malaria

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium that aims to develop and share new, cost-effective and sustainable genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes and reduce malaria transmission. Our vision is to contribute to a world free of malaria. We aim to achieve excellence in all areas of our work, creating a path for responsible research and development of genetic technologies, such as gene drive. www.targetmalaria.org.

Target Malaria receives core funding by the Gates Foundation and Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy). The lead grantee organisation is Imperial College London with partners in Africa, Europe and North America.

Follow Target Malaria on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Follow Target Malaria Uganda on Facebook.

About I AM Foundation

Founded in 2016 by former professional basketball player and NBA champion Ian Mahinmi, the I AM Foundation works to support youth development through sport, particularly basketball. Based in Benin, it supports talented young people by fostering their sporting development, education and leadership skills. Through its initiatives, the Foundation uses sport as a means of fostering inclusion, passing on knowledge and making a positive impact within communities.

About the RBM Partnership to End Malaria

The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the leading global platform for coordinating collective action against malaria. Bringing together more than 500 partners, including malaria-endemic countries, bilateral and multilateral agencies, civil society organisations, communities, research institutions and private sector actors, the Partnership works to unite and coordinate an inclusive, multisectoral response to control, eliminate and ultimately eradicate malaria. It plays a key role in partner coordination, resource mobilisation, country and donor engagement, and the promotion of solutions that accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.

Media Contact

Natalie Themistocleous

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