Reaching the Last Mile and Speak Up Africa’s « Entre Jeunes » is a powerful platform that seeks to harness the leadership potential of the youth to spearhead efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) on the continent.

« Entre Jeunes » seeks to develop a network of youth-led organizations committed to ending NTDs within their communities and countries through national-level advocacy, action and leadership engagement.

Through the initiative, youth organizations benefit from funding, mentorship, capacity building, and training, enhancing their ability to create the change they envision. Youth leaders gain the 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 working strategically to share knowledge and ideas, solve challenges, and keep 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.