The Malawian doctor fighting to end malaria for all
Ndifanji, a medical doctor and malaria youth advocate from Malawi is determined for this to be the generation to end malaria.
Ndifanji, aged 27, Malawi
Growing up in Malawi, Ndifanji saw the pain that malaria can cause first hand. Early on she decided that fighting malaria would be her purpose, making the decision to study medicine and help end a disease that ruins so many lives.
Every day while working as a doctor she sees an uncountable number of people come in with malaria. The disease can ruin families, lives, education and careers. In particular, the horrible impact malaria has on children and pregnant women is the reason Ndifanji joined this campaign.
"You see pregnant women coming in with malaria, you see under-five children dying from malaria, you have mothers coming in with kids presenting with severe malaria. I have seen a lot of family friends dying, missing classes, you know, the workforce – people not going to work because of malaria."
In 2017, Ndifanji’s little sister suffered from malaria and was admitted into hospital. Luckily, she survived and recovered, but Ndifanji is aware that is not the case for so many other children across Africa: a child still dies every minute from this treatable and preventable disease.
Ndifanji knows that to bring change we all need to hold our leaders accountable. She’s using her voice and supporting others to do the same.
With 60% of our continent below the age of 25, it is important that this generation stands up and fights for zero malaria.
“I believe that the youth are no longer the leaders of tomorrow, but we are the leaders of today. If we do not speak up against malaria, no one is going to do that for us. It’s exciting to have the youth speaking for the youth. So I think it’s very good that we’re doing this ourselves – because we are the ones who have to hold the leaders accountable, we are the generation that has to end malaria.”
"If we have youth pushing things that the youth care about, I think we can make changes. I just wanted to be a voice for the youth. Not just in Malawi, but also to be a voice for the youth in the Commonwealth."
Ndifanji is one of many fighting for a malaria-free world, ensuring the voice of youth is heard by our world leaders. Join her and Draw The Line Against Malaria today.
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