Following a successful first cycle, the Ascend West and Central Africa programme is excited to announce the opening of the second cycle of the Ascend Learning and Innovation Fund, to accelerate the control and elimination efforts of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The programme focuses on intestinal worms, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, schistosomiasis and trachoma.
Ascend works across 13 countries in West and Central Africa to protect millions of people from these painful and poverty-trapping diseases.
The fund can provide up to £350,000 to support a range of NTD-focused projects in West and Central Africa, and is looking for ideas to support the recovery of NTD programmes in the wake of COVID-19 and ways to ‘build back better’ after the pandemic.
The aim of the fund is to enhance NTD programmes by testing innovative new ideas and using evidence to create long-term solutions.
If you have a great idea, the fund team want to hear it and help make it a reality. Successful project proposals will address one of the four following challenge statements:
If you want to address something outside of these challenges that is relevant to the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases, please send an email to: [email protected] to discuss further.
The fund consists of four application windows. Applications for cycle 2 open on 9 October 2020 and will close on 6 November 2020. All project activities and reports must be completed and submitted by 31 January 2022 at the latest.
For more information on the application process, fund guidelines and challenge statements please visit: ascend-west-innovationfund.org or email the team: [email protected].
The Ascend West and Central Africa programme aims to protect millions of people in 13 countries from neglected tropical diseases.
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