Faith Leader Advocacy for Malaria Elimination

united faith leaders speaking truth to power to end malaria

Faith leaders have come together in a broad-based civil society movement, FLAME, to engage decision-makers in advocacy for malaria elimination, resulting in:

Adoption of policies and strategies that accelerate malaria elimination.

Implementation of policies and strategies that accelerate malaria elimination.

Allocation of necessary resources for these policies.

Advocacy-focused

As faith leaders, we can make a significant impact in the fight against malaria. Our FLAME movement is dedicated to advocating for effective policies that are fully funded and well-implemented.

Interfaith

Faith leaders from all faith traditions find common ground in the fight to end malaria.  While we may not see eye-to-eye of all social issues, malaria is a common threat to us all.

Relevant to the local context

Faith leaders are united in their dream to end malaria, but making this dream a reality looks different from country to country and province to province. FLAME leaders contextualize approaches based on the local faith, political, and epidemiological landscape.

Led by faith leaders

In areas where malaria is prevalent, faith communities often hold a vital and esteemed position. As faith leaders, we are driven by a moral obligation to promote the welfare of our people and speak with unwavering conviction.

A movement, not an organization

FLAME faith leaders are first and foremost leaders in their own faith communities. We join together with other faith leaders in the FLAME movement voluntarily, out of the conviction that no one should die from malaria, and driven by the motivation of putting our faith into action.

Technical and administrative support is provided through small local secretariats.

“Faith Leaders are strategically placed to serve as a bridge . . . And therefore they play a key role in ensuring that the whole community is engaged . . . the National Malaria Elimination Centre (NMEC) has worked with FLAME to train Faith Leaders and establish 10 chapters in all 10 Provinces of Zambia we are pleased as government to collaborate with FLAME Zambia and take them as key partners”

— Honorable Sylvia Masebo MP, Minister of Health, Zambia

“FLAME is a key partner in the fight against malaria and as the NVDCP we need FLAME to come on board for our planned resource mobilisation efforts in the next national malaria strategy especially at the regional level to engage private sector and others for logistical support, human resources and equipment for the planned malaria activities at regional level. We also see the impact faith leaders have to reduce IRS refusals among their communities by providing awareness raising, and we hope this support will continue.”

— Dr Petrina Uusiku, Programme Manager, National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme (NVDCP)