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November 2008 SYAHD Launches their first Malaria HandbookThe SYAHD team launched their first Malaria Handbook with sticker. These educational materials will help them spread the End Malaria-Blue Ribbon / Student Leaders Agaimst Malaria -SLAM global campaign in various Nigerian schools and communities. In the future, these materials may be translated & printed in the most popular Nigerian languages (i.e. Hausa, Igbo and Yaruba). See handbook in pdf format November 2008 SYAHD's leaders received Leadership Award
20th November, 2008 (Lagos, Nigeria) In recognition of this, some SYAHD members all engaged for Youth Leadership change project program from Diamonds group Kano, launched the “End Malaria Initiative” through their ongoing partnership with Malaria Foundation International (MFI) this initiative is designed to achieve a part of the 6th UN Millennium Development Goal (to combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other related diseases) in their immediate environment.
SYAHD Finance Director (left) receiving award certificate from International Youth Foundation (IYP) Program Manager (Julie D. Hackett)Building on the success of the initiative in Tarauni and Daurawa communities of Kano state, the group held a workshop with community youth and school students. The group composed of 7 SYAHD members who decided to pick the End Malaria Initiative as their change project for the leadership award programs, organized by LEAP Africa. The group was guided by the SYAHD/MFI End Malaria Blue Ribbon program. End Malaria Initiative is also designed to educate students and reduce the high prevalence of Malaria in their respective communities and regions in Nigeria through provision of Free Insecticide treated nets (ITNs) as well as awareness creation on the need for environmental and community health education.
Award Demonstration by SYAHD Members
In collaboration with SYAHD/MFI ongoing partnership in Nigeria, these youth enlightened the public on the causes, prevention and treatment of Malaria & also equipped students of various schools and communities with information on Malaria eradication thereby addressing the issues from the grassroots level.
SYAHD Director of Finance (left) with three SYAHD members (middle) and otherNigerian youth-group photoThe impact of the “End Malaria initiative” is evident in both communities as local health centers recorded a reduction in Malaria related illness. It is refreshing to see that without being in position of authority these youth have been able to positively impact their local communities.
Nura Iro Ma’aji receiving annual Youth Leadership award
In addition to the group award, for project initiative, SYAHD Program officer, Democracy and good governance, was awarded with annual youth leadership award for year 2008 in the country. This award aimed at showcasing the vibrant young Nigerian leaders, with recognized potentials, with a view to encouraging them.
September 2008
Nigerian SLAM GIRLS to End Malaria “To educate a woman, is like you educate the whole nation”SYAHD teams of Nigeria, through their partnership with MFI identify the need to educate and empower the students of Government Girls Senior Secondary School (GGSSS), Dangana With a view to becoming leaders against malaria and take charge of their communities through the global SLAM network and EM-BR.
Student at the preparatory stage for the workshop
SYAHD I.E.C officer, welcoming the Students and introducing the session The session started at 09:30am with Introducing the MFI global efforts and MFI / SYAHD Malaria programs in Nigeria. SYAHD Senior Program officer made presentation on Malaria Basics, Community participation in the Prevention and Control which include education, awareness, environmental sanitation, engaging community students and young people, advocacy and proper use of Insecticide treated net (ITNs). However, SYAHD I.E.C officer in his presentation showcase the various SLAM clubs around the globe (US, India, & Botswana) and encourage students to share ideas with other global SLAM club members to achieve a common goal.
Malaria Basics, prevention and control Presentation  Presentation on Malaria Prevention
Students participating during Questions and Answer session
ITNs Demonstration to students The students strongly believed that; through education and empowering other schools students in the malaria endemic countries, hope can be restored and the scourge will eventually become a history. After the presentations, the students responded to all the questions with utmost enthusiasm, where ITNs were won as prizes by those who answered the questions. Prior to that, the students were allowed to ask their questions first, where answers were given. Some of the questions asked by the students include:
ITNs Donation to the student SYAHD team donated ten (10) ITNs to best participating students during the question and answers session. STUDENTS COMMENTS  “Today I met my expectation, I am glad my name is listed among the young leaders in the fight against malaria, we promise not to disappoint our community, because now we can stand and fight malaria through the knowledge we acquire. We hope to continue spreading the message to help end malaria”. - Aisha Abdullahi “I envied the global SLAM club showcased during the session, everyone put on EM-BR symbol, no wonder the network continue growing day-by-day. My surprise is that despite the fact that malaria is not a problem in the U.S, but their students stand to fight the disease. Then what should we wait for? This confirmed that we must all work together, towards achieving a common goal. I sincerely wish SYAHD/MFI the best”. - Hadiza Musa. “I had about malaria species from our Biology teacher, but being among the participants at the malaria workshop today, I have learnt deeply and believed we can all work towards achieving one goal, with MFI and SYAHD working in Nigerian schools. Thank you for your time, your leadership, and dedication. I pray that we can start activities in our just formed club quickly and compete with our counterpart around the globe”- Amina Bala. Vice principal Academics passing his comments The Vice principal (Academy) Alhaji Isa lamented that; since 2006 we never had such a wonderful, educative and interactive session on any health related issues. He however takes the responsibility of mediating the activity of the club between SYAHD/MFI and the school. “This is my program and I promise to handle it myself and not any teacher under me” Said the Vice principal (Academic).He added that, it is an opportunity for our school students to broaden their horizon, interact with other school students within & outside the country, and become leaders in saving humanity. On behalf of the School Principal, we send our high regard to MFI / SYAHD joint partnership for training & setting the SLAM club in our school.
Group Picture with MFI / SYAHD Banner
GGSSS Dangana SLAM club team July 2008End Malaria-Blue Ribbon Campaign educated pregnant women On 16th of July, 2008 SYAHD team organized a two day sensitization workshop for pregnant women in Tudun Bojiwa Maternity Health Centre of Nassarawa Local Government, Kano State. The workshop was aimed at providing accurate, and reliable information on malaria in pregnancy, malaria symptoms, and benefit of seeking early treatment.
SYAHD Director facilitating the session
SYAHD Director during interactive session Community health education is important, as it help individual to recognize early symptoms of malaria and to seek treatment. This will help community members also to avoid having open containers of water in their homes, and minimize the amount of standing water around and in their houses.
Participant during the interactive session Malaria is the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in some northern Nigerian communities, where children under five years die each day due to lack or reduced immunity to the disease, with or no access to accurate and reliable information to prevent themselves.
I.E.C officer displaying the Informative stickers SYAHD team through EM-BR Global Campaign has seen the need for organizing a workshop to pregnant women to join hands in the Global fight against malaria. The workshop highlighted the following subject during the interactive session with mothers at the Tudun Bojiwa Maternity Health Centre of the metropolitan city of Kano state.1. Raise awareness about the crisis due Malaria to pregnant women and their unborn babies 2. Educate and enlighten the pregnant women to join EM-BR effort in the global fight against Malaria. 3. Recognize common symptoms of Malaria 4. Seek for early treatment or visit any nearest health centre for management and treatment 5. Proper use of Insecticide Treated Mosquito Net (ITNs)
SYAHD Director, clinic staff, and pregnant women displaying ITNs
SYAHD team believed in imparting knowledge on Malaria, to the mothers, especially pregnant women. SYAHD is optimistic that through awareness, many lives will be saved and rate of Malaria incidences will one day become Zero in Nigerian communities, and region. He added that now in Nigeria, due to high rate of the infection, every pregnant women should be taking prophylaxis for malaria to prevent its occurrence. RESPONSE FROM THE PARTICIPANTS The participants believed that; having such an interactive session with pregnant women during Ante-natal clinic health talk, the rate of Malaria incidence will be minimized. Women have a greater role to play both during pregnancy and after delivery especially with the little knowledge acquired during this workshop, many of our children lives could be save in our various residence and communities “According to Sadiya Ameenu” one of the participant. Rabi Isah said “Thank you for your help, you have done a well-done job but you need to continue addressing the Malaria issues using the most predominant language understandable by our local citizens and communities. I am referring to Strictly Hausa Language” Hadiza Ado said “Kudos to SYAHD and your EM-BR partners. We hope you and your partners or our state government Ministry of Health will provide ITNs especially for some selected child bearing mothers at the clinic, because it is quite effective against malaria prevention. Thank you and GOD bless. Jamila Salihu, a mother said “ITNs is costly, only few of our rural villagers can afford to buy. We always use coils to control mosquito, cost sixty naira in Nigerian currency for one packet containing ten pieces and can be use for ten days. (Less than one dollar, approximately $0.7) However, the Nurse in charge of the clinic showed her appreciation to SYAHD through their EM-BR Global Campaign with MFI. We thank you very much for organizing such an educative workshop; the Blue Ribbon symbol is unique in its nature. Hoping more will be supplied to for our clinic staffs who are interested to spread the BR message.
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