Behavioral Science Champions 1

We launched Cohort 1 (Behavioral Science Champions 1) of the Behavioral Science Made Easy course with 20 dedicated public health professionalsfrom Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Mali. However, only 7 participants successfully completed all five sessions and graduated with certificates of completion. As our first-ever cohort, these professionals are already putting theory into action, using behavioral science principlesto design impactful interventions tackling real-world public health challenges.

Participants are tackling real-world public health challenges by applying behavioral science principles to design impactful interventions.

1. Health Education & Screening – Increasing cervical cancer screening in rural Nigeria by identifying behavioral barriers and proposing solutions like subsidized rates, partnerships, and reminders.
2. HIV Prevention – Boosting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake by addressing provider behavior and communication gaps.
3. Provider Behavior Change – Strengthening healthcare counseling skills through e-learning courses and behavior change frameworks.
4. Health Facility Branding – Improving service perception and accessibility by creating a strong identity for quality care in Ethiopia.
5. Alcohol Harms Reduction – Investigating cultural and systemic drivers of alcohol use in South Africa and linking routine health data to behavioral insights.
6. Faith Leaders & SRHR – Engaging religious leaders in Kenya to promote comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, shifting harmful gender norms.
7. Mental Health & Technology  – Enhancing mental health awareness and access to confidential professional support through a hotline. 

Behavioral Science Champions 1 marks the start of our growing community of behavioral science practitioners across Africa. We look forward to expanding this movement and seeing these innovative projects create lasting impact!