Hope for Future Generations leads young advocates for training in Ethiopia

Eleven young Ghanaian volunteers (aged 18-35) selected under the Youth Leaders for Health Programme being implemented by United Kingdom based advocacy organization, Results UK, in partnership with Hope For Future Generations (HFFG)  are to undergo a comprehensive advocacy training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia  from 27^th  to 31^st  January, 2020.

The volunteers were competitively selected from ten regions of Ghana. They will partner the National Malaria Control Programme to advocate for adequate domestic resources towards malaria elimination in the country.

It is expected that the advocates will develop new skills, hear from experts and learn more about malaria and health system strengthening. This will empower them become leaders in advocacy for improved access to health.

“After the training, we expect the Youth advocates to put their newly developed skills into practice by advocating decision makers at the global, international and national levels allocate sustainable resources towards malaria elimination in the continent. They will participate in the upcoming AU meeting of African Presidents and Health Ministers at Addis Ababa in January 2020 . The Youth Advocates are also expected to participate and advocate during other Global gatherings of Presidents, donors  and policy makers in the coming months, said by the Executive Director of HFFG, Mrs Cecilia Senoo.

One of the Volunteers from Accra, Ghana’s Capital, Priscilla Addo, is optimistic she would be empowered to lead campaigns that would promote a strong health system that will result in positive health outcomes.

“I feel privileged to be given this opportunity to join this initiative. I expect to make new contacts, learn more life changing strategies and initiatives that could be used for my own campaign as well. Hopefully, I’ll be able to begin my own campaign and contribute to available malaria initiatives

After 15 years of consistent decline in malaria cases and deaths, the last 3 years have seen progress slowing, with many countries now experiencing challenging increase in malaria cases. There are many reasons for this increase, including a reduction in funding to reduce malaria incidence, less urgency about the impact of malaria within affected countries and increased anti-malaria drug resistance.

RESULTS UK seeks to end health related problems and poverty is working alongside Hope for Future Generations (Ghana), CISMAT-SL (Sierra Leone), Health Promotion Tanzania- HDT and WACI Health on the one-year Youth Leaders for Health programme in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.

The latest World Malaria Report 2019 identifies Ghana as one of the highest malaria burden countries in Africa.