NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 23 – The ONE Campaign has launched ONE Academy, a pan-African platform aimed at equipping young people with skills to advocate for policies affecting their communities and countries.

The platform is designed for young Africans aged 18 to 35 and will provide training on advocacy, policy and decision-making, as well as opportunities to apply the skills in practice.

ONE said its 2026 youth advocacy survey covering six African countries found that nearly 90 per cent of young people surveyed were confident speaking up on issues they care about, but only 53 per cent had participated in an advocacy activity.

The Academy will also connect young people with peers and advocacy practitioners to share knowledge and collaborate on issues they care about.

“ONE Academy is our investment in that infrastructure. We want young Africans to be able to understand an issue, know where decisions are made and where power sits, build a compelling case, mobilise others and advocate effectively for change,” ONE Campaign Executive Director for Africa Serah Makka said.

The Academy will initially focus on Kenya and Senegal, with its first course covering foundational learning.

The course will help young advocates understand challenges affecting foundational learning and advocate for policies, investment and implementation to address them.

ONE said it plans to introduce more courses and practical advocacy opportunities as the Academy expands across Africa.