Science for Africa Foundation

For decades, engagement practitioners have tirelessly laboured to demonstrate the value of #CommunityEngagement (CE) in research, making a case to research leaders, research teams, funders, and regulators. But why do we continue to witness snail-paced adoption of CE as standard practice? In this webinar series, we unravel the complexities of this work and practical ways to institutionalise CE in research from the African context. Our panellists will feature a CE implementor, a research programme manager, a Principal Investigator, and a funder. Register for the webinar here 🔗 http://bit.ly/47HCVeu Find out more about the webinar series here 🔗 http://bit.ly/4nKipPr

Congratulations to Aga Khan University (AKU) on achieving Platinum Certification under the Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP) Standard! This milestone enhances AKU’s capacity to manage complex, multi-donor grants, ensuring strong governance, compliance, and risk management across its campuses. AKU hosts one of the DELTAS Africa II consortia, the "African Leadership for Measuring Brain Health in Children and Adolescents" (ALMA) consortium. The certification was supported through the DELTAS Africa programme via SFA Foundation's Research Management Capacity Strengthening (REMACS) programme, in partnership with Wellcome and the UK FCDO. This achievement reflects DELTAS Africa’s commitment to strengthening research systems by cultivating professional environments that effectively manage and support scientific research. It recognises that sustainable, high-quality research depends on skilled administrative support and institutional capacity that enable African researchers to thrive globally. 👏 A remarkable step toward advancing research excellence and accountability across African institutions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dbrmeSSm #DELTASAfrica Wellcome Trust FCDO Services

At the #CPHIA2025 side meeting, the Science for Africa Foundation, in partnership with the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), convened an insightful conversation on a critical question: What should clinical trial preparedness for Africa look like in the event of a pandemic? The discussion was rich, honest, and forward-looking. A few reflections stood out: Africa has already shown it can move fast when it matters, as demonstrated during COVID-19 and the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda. The challenge now is making that agility permanent by embedding it into our systems, policies, and daily practice. Africa already has the scaffolding; the task now is to connect, scale, and sustain it before the next pandemic. We also heard how harmonisation through initiatives like AMA and AVAREF doesn’t dilute national authority; it strengthens it by building trust, consistency, and speed across the continent. Clinical trial readiness is no longer just about infrastructure; it’s also about governance, data sovereignty, and trust. Transparent systems make science not only faster but fairer. The conversation reminded us that preparedness requires constant dialogue and genuine, ongoing engagement with communities, not just when a study starts. Building trust and understanding of clinical research must become part of our daily conversations. Finally, as we strengthen trial sites and align with global standards such as GAP-CTS, we must also link this to support for local manufacturing and sustainable capacity. Progress is being made, but it’s time to translate it into daily action across Africa. #CPHIA2025 #ClinicalTrials #PandemicPreparedness #ScienceForAfrica #HealthResearch #AfricaRising Caxton M. Miriam Karinja Verah Moruri Dathan Mirembe Byonanebye Dr. Jacqueline Mirera Dr. Fridah Mwendia

We are seeking a consultant Multimedia Content Specialist to support the growth and visibility of its new podcast, Echoes of Evidence, a Pan-African platform bridging science and society through engaging, relatable conversations. We’re looking for a creative storyteller who understands the power of short-form video and social media to amplify impact. The consultant will help shape how Echoes of Evidence connects with audiences, from everyday citizens to policymakers, ensuring science remains accessible, trusted, and relevant to Africa’s future. If you’re passionate about digital storytelling, science communication, and data-driven creativity, we’d love to hear from you. Application details 🔗 https://bit.ly/43udnPx

Honoured to be Co-Chairing Track 5: Research and Case Studies on One Health and Climate Change Studies at #CPHIA2025 organized by Africa CDC and representing Science for Africa Foundation. The track will focus on “The intersection of zoonoses, climate impacts, and digitalisation to promote integrated One Health responses in Africa.” 📅 Date: October 22-25, 2025 🌍 Location: Durban International Convention Center (ICC), South Africa As #Africa navigates a rapidly changing health landscape, the convergence of animal-human disease spillovers, climate variability, and the rise of digital tools like #AI presents both urgent risks and transformative opportunities. In this track, we will explore how integrated #OneHealth strategies can be accelerated with #ClimateSmart approaches and digital innovation to build resilient health systems. I invite ALL researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and cross-sector collaborators to join the discussion. This is a dialogue that transcends silos, unlocking integrated, actionable solutions for health security and planetary health in Africa. 🔗 Learn more about the conference and programme here: https://lnkd.in/d-PMY9iX #CPHIA2025 #OneHealth #ClimateHealth #DigitalHealth #AfricaHealthSecurity

We are seeking to recruit a Senior Programme Officer to manage a bespoke Leadership Development Programme within the Africa Pandemic Sciences Collaborative, a high-profile, multi-year partnership between Science for Africa Foundation, the Pandemic Sciences Institute (PSI) at the University of Oxford, and the Mastercard Foundation. The Leadership Development Programme is designed to nurture a new generation of African leaders across the pandemic science ecosystem. It aims to strengthen strategic, scientific, and systems-level leadership to empower African institutions in pandemic preparedness, response, and research at both local and global levels. See application details here 🔗 https://bit.ly/3Jp0MGx 🗓️ Application Deadline: 23 October 2025

Why attend our #CPHIA2025 side meeting? Because Africa’s next pandemic response depends on our preparedness today. This session will bring together clinical trial site leaders, regulators, funders, and communities to share lessons from COVID-19, Mpox, Ebola, and Marburg outbreaks and shape a roadmap for self-reliant evidence generation. Don’t miss this chance to contribute to Africa’s health security future #PandemicResilience #AfricaHealth #CPHIA2025 #ClinicalResearch Caxton M. Miriam Karinja Verah Moruri Dathan Mirembe Byonanebye Dr. Jacqueline Mirera Dr. Fridah Mwendia

In this episode of Echoes of Evidence, co-hosts Dr Evelyn Gitau and Lillian Mutengu sit down with Prof Dixon Chibanda, psychiatrist and founder of the Friendship Bench and Director of the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI), and Constance Mabia, a passionate mental health advocate, to unpack how we talk about and respond to mental health in Africa. Prof Chibanda challenges conventional approaches to diagnosis, questioning the over-medicalisation of human suffering. He calls for a more compassionate, community-centred model, one that values conversation, empathy, and understanding over clinical labels. Constance Mabia brings the lived experience of navigating mental health challenges in African contexts, highlighting the power of dialogue, connection, and culturally grounded care. Watch the episode here https://lnkd.in/dMsP3_Nc #EchoesOfEvidence #WorldMentalHealthDay #WorldMentalHealthMonth