The Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC) in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Office to the African Union and YouthHubAfrica is pleased to announce the call for applications for Bingwa PLUS, an incubator for young African health champions passionate about improving the health of their communities.
The Bingwa PLUS is an offshoot of the African Union Bingwa Initiative that mobilized Youth Health Advocates (Bingwas) to rally communities and boost vaccination uptake across Africa during COVID-19. It seeks to strengthen young health champions ability to design, resource, and manage impactful community health initiatives. Through this program, participants will gain the skills needed to address critical health needs in their communities, strengthen their leadership and innovation capacities, and build structures that can support the continent in times of health crises.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for scalable community health initiatives that are youth-led, youth-driven, and youth-focused, with the potential to create lasting impact. To apply, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Citizens of AU member states
Aged 18-35
Public health enthusiasts with demonstrable leadership potential, experience in and passion for improving health outcomes within their communities
Submission of a proposal demonstrating an excellent understanding of the health challenge to be addressed and proposing a clear, scalable solution to the challenge
Available to be a part of a 4-month incubation program
Applicants from marginalized or disadvantaged backgrounds (gender, youth from rural areas, youth with disabilities, geographic balance, etc) are encouraged to apply.
Applicants with ideas related to current disease outbreaks and health emergencies, such as Mpox and Marburg, will be given a priority.
What you will receive:
Access to weekly webinars led by experts and the YouthHubAfrica Academy’s online platform
Membership in a broader network of Young Health advocates across Africa
Opportunities to showcase your ideas to a continental audience as a Bingwa Plus, with additional visibility through Africa CDC and GIZ.
An opportunity to pitch your innovation and receive small grants of up to USD 3,000.
Tailored mentorship and hands-on support during project implementation
Scale-up support from Africa CDC and its partners (GIZ, YouthHubAfrica) in identifying and applying to further funding opportunities
How to apply:
Applicants are expected to fill this google form and provide the following:
1) A reflection on their motivation to join the program and a reflection on their fit to the program.
2) A 300-word pitch on a health challenge they plan to solve and the intended solution they wish to pursue if chosen for the incubation program.
3) A copy of their most recent curriculum vitae, no longer than three pages
4) A recommendation letter written by an employer, volunteer supervisor or teacher/lecturer who can speak to their character, community engagement ability, leadership potential, and ability to implement complex projects.
Application deadline:
The application will close on 11:59 PM East Africa Time on 17 November 2024. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Link to aply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS7t06b74BJITx7dqixcrHcabs8oCQzvZ7B2_1IqpJpIxqfQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0