The Power of Collaboration: Empowering the Next Generation of One Health Leaders

This case study, titled “The Power of Collaboration: Empowering the Next Generation of One Health Leaders,” focuses on Breakthrough ACTION’s efforts to nurture youth leadership in the One Health space across Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Senegal. It illustrates how collaboration between Breakthrough ACTION, AFROHUN, and educational institutions at multiple levels—from university to primary school—has helped cultivate a generation of future health leaders who are equipped to address zoonotic diseases and other global health challenges.

Key initiatives include the creation of Student One Health Innovation Clubs (SOHIC) at universities, youth internships, and educational programs for primary and secondary students. These activities build students’ leadership, public health communication, and community engagement skills. The case study highlights how youth have applied their training to real-world health crises like rabies, avian influenza, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The resource is geared towards educators, public health professionals, and development practitioners focused on global health security, youth leadership, and One Health approaches. The implications of this work are significant, as it shows how strategic partnerships and youth-focused programming can foster interdisciplinary collaboration, enhance disease prevention efforts, and create sustainable models of community engagement that are critical for future health system resilience.

In short, this work lays the foundation for empowering the next generation of One Health leaders who can address complex health challenges across human, animal, and environmental sectors, both now and in the future.