Advocacy &Community Bill Brieger | 11 Mar 2015 07:54 am
Counting on Sadane Ndiaye and other community supervisors like her to eliminate malaria in Senegal
Yacine Djibo, Founder & President of Speak Up Africa is helping focus International Women’s Day (March 8th) on efforts to protect women from malaria in Senegal. She is highlighting the commitments of 8 strong and beautiful women, in Senegal, that are dedicated to eliminating malaria in their country. These commitments are part of an inclusive mass communication campaign that aims to launch a national movement in favor of malaria elimination in Senegal: the “Zero Malaria! Count Me In” campaign
International Women’s Day, represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. This year’s theme is “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education or fighting malaria. Below is the fourth feature on women fighting malaria.
Along with 369 community supervisors throughout Senegal, Sadane Ndiaye of the Keur Momar Sarr district completed a one-week comprehensive training to learn all aspects of malaria treatment, prevention and care as a part of the Football Combatting Malaria Program (FCM). FCM, implemented through a partnership with local health districts, the National Malaria Control Program, Speak Up Africa, Aspire Academy, and the Leo Messi Foundation, catalyzes grassroots advocacy and behavior change communication to further reduce the burden of malaria in the community.
Sadane Ndiaye, Supervisor, Football Combating Malaria, Senegal
At the end of the week-long course, which included key information on how to install and properly maintain insecticide treated mosquito nets, Sadane became a Community Supervisor, charged with returning to her community and training four additional change agents. Daily, Sadane leads this team in malaria awareness activities including household visits, lectures, and social mobilization activities, reaching hundreds of community members and making a sustainable impact.
Football Combating Malaria aims to emphasize communication and community leadership to beat this disease. As a community supervisor, Sadane sets the example of exactly that which is needed to reach a malaria free Senegal.
Thank you Sadane for joining the national malaria elimination effort and educating your fellow community members around malaria prevention and treatment.
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Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a creative health communications and advocacy organization dedicated to catalyzing African leadership, enabling policy change, securing resources and inspiring individual action for the most pressing issue affecting Africa’s future: child health.