A non-governmental organisation in Jos, Plateau State, the Guardian Initiative for Community Development (GICD), has endorsed the Geneith Health Competition and sponsored secondary school students under its care to participate in the nationwide campaign.
The initiative is aimed at engaging young Nigerians in malaria awareness, prevention and community mobilisation, while promoting youth empowerment through education and practical public health advocacy.
GICD said its decision to sponsor the students reflected its commitment to education, child protection and the socio-economic development of underserved communities.
The organisation noted that exposing young people to opportunities that combine learning with community engagement would help them make informed decisions and contribute positively to society.
“Our work at GICD is driven by the conviction that guided exposure is itself a form of protection, one that broadens perspectives and equips young people to make informed life choices,” a management representative said.
The students were registered during an outreach visit to GICD’s headquarters in Jos by the competition’s activator, Amos Sunday, who commended the organisation for removing financial barriers that could prevent the beneficiaries from participating.
Sunday described the students’ enthusiasm during the activation exercise as encouraging, noting that partnerships with community-based organisations could expand the reach of malaria education and empower young people to promote preventive practices in their homes and communities.
The Geneith Health Competition is organised by CEOAFRICA and sponsored by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s Department of Public Health.
The initiative targets students in secondary and tertiary institutions, with activities focusing on malaria awareness, advocacy, research and community mobilisation.
Support Disease Control Efforts
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CEOAFRICA and initiator of the competition, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, said GICD’s participation demonstrated how civil society organisations could support national disease-control efforts by involving young people.
“If we do not win this war against malaria, malaria will win the war against us,” Ilobanafor said, urging students to become ambassadors of malaria prevention and help dispel misconceptions about the disease.
He stressed that mobilising young people and strengthening public participation were essential to achieving sustained progress in malaria control.
The Chairman of Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, Chief Emmanuel Umenwa, also called for renewed malaria education in schools, homes and communities, emphasising the need for collective responsibility in preventing the disease.
“We must revive malaria education in schools, communities, and every household as a matter of urgency. Malaria has taken too much from us, but with commitment and shared responsibility, it can be defeated,” Umenwa said.
He disclosed that the company had committed one billion naira to the competition, comprising ₦400 million in scholarships and cash rewards and ₦600 million worth of educational materials and outreach items.
Umenwa urged school administrators, community organisations and other stakeholders to encourage eligible students to participate, describing the competition as an opportunity to combine education, youth development and public health advocacy.
The organisers said the competition aligns with national malaria-control priorities, particularly behaviour-change communication and community-level interventions.
They expressed hope that the participation of more students and grassroots organisations would strengthen malaria awareness and encourage preventive action across communities.
The organisers maintained that defeating malaria requires sustained collaboration among government institutions, schools, civil society organisations, private-sector partners and young people to protect lives and build healthier communities.
