The African Cervical Health Alliance (ACHA), with technical support from the ECHO Institute and financial support from Expertise France through the SUCCESS Program, has launched the ACHA Advocacy ECHO Program, an eight-month Pan-African virtual training and capacity-building initiative.

This program is designed to empower Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and health advocates from Anglophone and Francophone Africa with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to meaningfully contribute to national and regional cervical cancer elimination goals, while actively engaging communities, governments, and partners.

Closing the Gaps in Advocacy

Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Africa, despite being preventable. Many grassroots CSOs, particularly those led by survivors and caregivers, have demonstrated strong commitment to ending the disease.

However, they face persistent challenges, including:

• Limited training in policy engagement
• Unclear advocacy frameworks
• Sporadic resource mobilization
• Inconsistent communication

The ACHA Advocacy ECHO addresses these gaps by strengthening the confidence, competence, and coordination of grassroots organizations and ensuring advocacy efforts are strategic, evidence-based, and impactful.

Grounded in the Project ECHO model, the program delivers:

• Expert-led sessions for technical and strategic guidance
• Peer-to-peer learning to foster shared experience and collaboration
• Mentorship opportunities to build long-term advocacy capacity