Celebrating Seven Years of African-Led Action to End Malaria

 Today, the “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” movement turns seven, with the official endorsement of all 55 African Union member states. Over 30 African countries have launched the campaign at a national level. This movement has engaged political leaders, mobilizing resources and funding, and enabling communities to take ownership of the fight against malaria. The movement has mobilized over $150 million for End Malaria Councils and Funds, country-owned and country-led multisectoral forums. In addition to over $6 million from the Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative to accelerate progress in the fight against malaria. 

 From Dakar to the Continent 

On World Malaria Day 2014 in Dakar, Senegal, the “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” campaign was born, launched by Speak Up Africa, PATH and the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), united by a sense of urgency to advance malaria elimination. At the time, they could not have predicted that it would grow into a continent-wide advocacy powerhouse just four years later.  

Inspired by Senegal’s success, the campaign was officially endorsed and adopted by 55 African Union (AU) member states and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, in July 2018, signalling the official launch of the movement.  

Today, as we face unprecedented cuts to global health financing due to unpredictable aid flows and declining public spending, it is relevant now more than ever to focus our efforts on driving local ownership for the fight against malaria.  

The “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” campaign does exactly this. It is the continent’s call-to-action for governments, private sector and communities affected by malaria to continue to demonstrate leadership and scale up national malaria programmes to target and deliver lifesaving tools to those who need them most. 

Country ownership driving impact 

Country-owned and country-led End Malaria Councils and Funds have mobilised over $150 million. Youth engagement, digital tools, national scorecards, and engagement with Regional Economic Communities across Africa, spearheaded by the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), a coalition of 55 African heads of state and government, whose current Chair is President Duma Gideon Boko of Botswana, working to eliminate malaria in Africa by 2030, have helped strengthen accountability and data-driven action. This multisectoral approach has been a key driver of impact over the past seven years and is crucial to ensure the fight to end malaria remains high on the regional development and financing agenda. 

The “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” Coalition, in Benin, brought together 30 members from across the country to harmonize civil society advocacy efforts, whilst also establishing a network of anti-malaria village committees and school clubs in 16 districts across three regions within the country. This advocacy was bolstered by the Honorable Aké Natondé from the National Assembly of Benin, a “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” champion, who held briefing sessions with parliamentarians explaining the challenges of malaria control and the implementation of the National Primary Health Care Policy. As a result, combined with years of multisectoral advocacy work, Benin’s government quadrupled funding for malaria control between 2022 and 2025, a testament to the translation of political will into concrete action.  

This year, on World Malaria Day, Burkina Faso becomes the first Francophone African country to launch an End Malaria Council, nationally named CONAMEP (National Multisectoral Committee for Malaria Elimination), laying the groundwork for increased mobilization of domestic and international resources and strengthened collective accountability. This committee symbolizes a new dynamic, based on multisectoral coordination, shared accountability, and concerted action, and the birth of a movement for malaria elimination in Burkina Faso. 

Mobilising over $6 million in private sector support 

On the private sector front, the Zero Malaria Business Leadership Initiative (ZMBLI) supported the Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement’s second pillar on private sector engagement, led by Ecobank and Speak Up Africa. Active in five countries, the initiative mobilized over US$6 million from 59 private sector companies, engaging over 100 African business leaders, as well as strengthening national coordination platforms in Benin and Uganda. Our strategic private sector partnership with the Canal+ Group, and its branches in Senegal, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire has contributed over $1.5 million to the fight against malaria since 2021. 

Local communities driving political action 

From its humble beginnings as a grassroots movement in Senegal, the Zero Malaria Starts with Me campaign has enabled and facilitated many success stories at community and country level.  

On World Malaria Day 2023, football legends Luís Figo and Khalilou Fadiga gave their voice to the fight by launching the Zero Malaria F.C, in partnership with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. This initiative unites global football stars to raise awareness, advocate for increased malaria funding, and drive political action against the disease. The Zero Malaria F.C. supports the broader “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” campaign, empowering African communities to lead the fight for a malaria-free future. Inspired by their roles as parents, the founding football stars, Figo and Fadiga, have urged world leaders to prioritise the elimination of malaria. 

The Big Push ahead 

In celebrating the progress of the “Zero Malaria Starts with Me” Movement, the challenges ahead are equally evident. Progress against malaria is stalling, risking a dangerous resurgence of the disease within Africa and beyond. Malaria remains a major cause of death among children under five and pregnant women, with Africa carrying the heaviest malaria burden. As a preventable and treatable disease, it is possible to eliminate malaria, but collective, holistic, multisectoral action that mobilises governments, civil society, the private sector and communities remains critical to achieve this goal. 

In the face of significant funding gaps, coupled with rising threats such as drug and insecticide resistance, Speak Up Africa is continuing to work with its partners, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Malaria No More UK by rolling out the “Zero Malaria: Change the Story” campaign. This initiative amplifies the voices of those most affected by malaria and ensures their stories shape future action. 

With strengthened regional collaboration, high-level political buy-in from national governments, continued engagement from the private sector and ongoing community participation, the goal of a malaria-free Africa is within reach, if we continue to join forces and act decisively.  

Let’s celebrate the enormous gains made in the last seven years and the power of collective action – Zero Malaria Starts —and must end—with all of us.