Reaching the Last Mile and Speak Up Africa’s « Entre Jeunes » is a powerful platform that harnesses youth leadership potential to drive elimination neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) on the continent.

The initiative develops a network of youth-led organizations committed to ending NTDs within their communities and countries through national-level advocacy, action and leadership engagement.

Youth organizations benefit from funding, mentorship, capacity building, and training, strengthening their ability to create the change they envision. Youth leaders gain skills to engage meaningfully in decision-making and policymaking spaces and can connect and collaborate with like-minded peers. Together, they represent a united « Entre Jeunes» community – a robust youth-led network sharing knowledge, solving challenges, and keeping NTDs on the global agenda.

More specifically the initiative aims to:

• Accelerate the elimination of NTDs through sustainable, youth-led advocacy that reflects the cultural context, resources, and priorities of endemic communities and promotes country ownership.
• Arm youth groups with the tools to amplify their reach, advance promising solutions, and become integral actors in the NTD elimination story.
• Elevate NTDs with non-health actors, including sports and development and climate change.