Change The Story: The Ghetto Kids of Uganda
Change The Story: The Ghetto Kids of Uganda
Children are most affected by malaria, yet their voices often go unheard.
Zero Malaria’s Change The Story campaign is about ensuring grown ups who make decisions listen to children’s stories and hear their experiences. As the decisions leaders make today will determine the futures of millions of children across the world.
In this new film, the Ghetto Kids of Uganda invite us into their world to share how malaria has affected them.
She wants to be a doctor. A dancer. A lawyer. Why should malaria stand in her way?
In the film, 8-year-old Nahia tells her story. Like the rest of the Ghetto Kids she loves to dance, she loves to learn at school and she has big dreams for the future. But malaria almost took her life.
Nahia’s is just one story. There are millions more just like Nahia’s around the world.
The WHO African Region continues to carry a major malaria burden, shouldering an estimated 94% of all malaria cases globally and 95% of all malaria deaths. Children, particularly those under the age of five, are the most vulnerable.
It doesn’t need to be this way. With determination from our leaders, we can end malaria for good. It's time to Change the Story
A new declaration to help end malaria
In a landmark moment, African Ministers gathering in Yaoundé, Cameroon, have made a renewed commitment to accelerate action to end deaths from malaria. The Yaoundé conference, co-hosted by the World Health Organisation and the Government of Cameroon, gathered African Ministers of Health, and global malaria partners.
The event included the screening of the Zero Malaria Ghetto Kids X Change The Story film that calls on leaders to hear the stories of children affected by malaria.
Ministers signed a Declaration expressing their support for "the fundamental principle that no one should die from malaria, given the tools and systems available." The Declaration commits to providing stronger leadership and increased domestic funding for malaria control programmes; to ensure further investment in data technology; to apply the latest technical guidance in malaria control and elimination; and to enhance malaria control efforts at the national and sub-national levels.
There have been remarkable strides made over the last two decades, but the journey to end malaria has faced increased challenges in recent years and progress has stalled. The Yaoundé Declaration marks a significant step in getting countries back on track to ending deaths from malaria.
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