African Youth Innovation Award Seeks AI Solutions for Family Planning Access

Speak Up Africa and the Ouagadougou Partnership Coordination Unit (OPCU) have launched the third edition of the Africa Young Innovators for Health Award, inviting young Africans to develop AI-driven solutions to enhance access to family planning services. This initiative targets the significant barriers young people in West and Central Africa face, such as misinformation, limited confidential care, and provider bias, which contribute to high rates of unintended pregnancies.

The award specifically seeks proposals that leverage artificial intelligence to support healthcare providers, strengthen patient referral systems, and facilitate data-driven service planning. A key requirement for submissions is that these AI solutions must be designed with African realities in mind, particularly in areas with limited connectivity, and prioritize data protection, safety, inclusion, and reliability while ensuring human oversight.

Applicants, aged 18 to 35 and residing in an African country, must submit solutions that have reached at least the prototype or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage through a civil society or private sector organization. Eight finalists will participate in an innovation hackathon in Conakry, Guinea, from November 30 to December 3, 2026, where they will receive training on business development, stakeholder engagement, and pitching their ideas.

Four winners will be selected, with two first-prize winners receiving US$15,000 each and two second-prize winners receiving US$10,000 each. Beyond the financial reward, winners will benefit from a three-month mentorship program, access to experts in family planning, AI, and business development, and opportunities to present their work to potential partners and investors. This program aims to transform promising ideas into practical, impactful solutions for the continent, aligning with the Ouagadougou Partnership's goal to enable 13 million people to access modern contraceptive methods by 2030.