Draw the Line Against Malaria: Engaging Youth to End Malaria

In an ongoing effort to step-up the fight against malaria, pan-African movement Zero Malaria Starts With Me recently unveiled a new campaign: Draw The Line Against Malaria. The campaign, whose official launch took place on February 24th, is focused on engaging youth, calling on young people across Africa and all over the world to unite to fight malaria. By driving more action, more innovation, more funding and more leadership the movement aims to mobilise communities to fight this deadly disease and achieve #ZeroMalaria within a generation. 

Developed by a coalition of agencies under the UN RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the campaign was first announced at this year’s African Union Summit.  During the launch event, Dr.  Abdourahmane Diallo, CEO of the RBM Partnership, reminded the audience that although great progress has been made in the fight against malaria throughout the last two decades, much more is left to do. This preventable disease still kills over 400.000 people each year, the majority of which are children under 5.  On top of this, the COVID-19 pandemic has added further strain on the delivery of anti-malaria programmes, with healthcare systems and supplies being disrupted.

Dr Diallo emphasised the importance of empowering younger generations to lead the fight against malaria:

 “Malaria steals too many futures, it does too much to hold back the potential of our young people. […] We need to empower the next generation of young champions. They will be the generation that rids the world of this tension […] and achieves a malaria-free future for all.” 

The Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign will showcase the best of Africa’s creative talent through a selection of ambassadors, including, amongst others, award-winning actress Omotola J. Ekeinde, long-distance runner and world-record-holder Eliud Kipchoge and creative visionary Sherrie Silver, the choreographer behind Childish Gambino’s This is America’s video and other powerful productions.   

The campaign calls on the global public to add their line to a universal, visual malaria language called the Muundo. Created by Nigerian artist and activist Laolu Senbanjo, the Muundo – Swahili for ‘building a movement’ –  will grow each time someone adds their line at zeromalaria.org or on Facebook to become a giant mural and visual call for action to end malaria.  

Emerging Ag is proud to take part in the fight against humankind’s oldest and deadliest disease by supporting Target Malaria and its work to develop innovative approaches to reduce malaria transmission. Last year, we were thrilled to see Kadiatou Sanogo, Communications Manager for the project, join the Zero Malaria Starts With Me movement as a Young Malaria Champion. She features alongside other malaria champions and ambassadors in this year’s incredible movie for the Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign which you can see above.  

Following the campaign’s public launch, Zero Malaria Starts With Me are mobilising young people from across the African continent and the globe to join the Zero Malaria Starts With Me movement. Today we must all draw the line against malaria and recommit to achieving Zero Malaria in Africa and around the world.  

Join the call at ZeroMalaria.org!