Speak up Africa

Overview

The Zero Malaria Starts with Me campaign was launched at the regional level in 2018 by the African Union Commission and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. To support the campaign goal to ‘’mobilise and empower communities to take ownership over the fight to end malaria’’, Speak Up Africa (SUA) implemented this project working closely with the National Malaria Control Programme in Ghana and Sierra Leone. In addition to this, SUA’s project aimed to work with local journalists to improve media coverage of malaria and stimulate conversation about malaria; advocate for the appropriate use of local government funds to support malaria control in Ghana and; galvanise support of key stakeholders – local and national decision makers, and the private sector – to address malaria issues. SUA’s willingness to collaborate with civil society organisations, including other partners on the Comic Relief and GSK Partnership, amplified in-country efforts towards malaria elimination goals.

Through this project, SUA have established the Malaria Media Coalitions in Sierra Leone and Ghana, as well as creating the editor’s forum for journalists reporting on malaria issues in Ghana. SUA have engaged with the general public using music videos and songs to raise the profile of malaria and continue to engage malaria champions to maintain this energy in public domains. New guidelines for local government spending on malaria have been developed because of SUA-led activities. The project has led to renewed commitment from parliamentary, local and district leadership and private sector actors who are now prioritising malaria and showing a willingness to take action in their respective work and spheres of influence.