Project Fact Sheet | ALIGN — Advancing Local Innovations For Adolescent Health & Nutrition Through Governance And Networks

FACT SHEET

Project Title: ALIGN — Advancing Local Innovations for Adolescent Health & Nutrition through Governance and Networks

Project Description

ALIGN seeks to strengthen adolescent health and nutrition outcomes by empowering civil society organizations (CSOs) and youth-led organizations (YLOs) to design, scale, and integrate community-driven innovations into national health systems. Through capacity strengthening, knowledge sharing, and evidence-based advocacy, the project will ensure locally led solutions are institutionalized in policies, financing, and service delivery frameworks across 12 Global Financing Facility (GFF) partner countries in Africa.

Key Approaches

• Capacity Strengthening: Provide sub-grants and technical assistance to CSOs and YLOs to co-design and scale adolescent-responsive innovations.

• Community of Practice (CoP): Establish cross-country peer learning and innovation exchange platforms.

• Evidence Generation & Policy Influence: Produce operational research, policy briefs, and advocacy materials to inform national and global health and nutrition policies.

• Youth-Centered Model: Apply a Positive Youth Development approach ensuring adolescents are co-creators, leaders, and decision-makers.

• Systems Integration: Embed innovations into GFF/World Bank investment cases and national RMNCAH+N strategies.

Objectives

Main Objective: To empower local civil society and youth-led organizations to design, scale, and integrate community-driven innovations into national health policies and systems for sustained improvements in adolescent health and nutrition outcomes.

Specific Objectives:

1. Strengthen the technical, financial, and advocacy capacities of CSOs and YLOs.

2. Facilitate communities of practice to promote cross-country learning and scaling of proven innovations.

3. Generate and disseminate evidence to influence policy, financing, and system-level adoption of adolescent health and nutrition interventions.

Project Duration

2 years (December 1, 2025 – November 30, 2027)

Project Budget

USD 5,000,000

Funder

Global Financing Facility (GFF) / World Bank — CIVIC Engagement Platform

Project Implementing Partners / Consortium Members:

• Lead Agency: Action Against Hunger (ACF USA)

• Consortium Partners:

• Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN), United Kingdom

• The Youth Café (TYC), Kenya

Location / Target Areas:

Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda,Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

Target Groups:

• Primary: Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Youth-Led Organizations (YLOs)

• Secondary: Adolescents and young people aged 10–24 (especially adolescent girls, young mothers, out-of-school youth, adolescents with disabilities, and those in marginalized or displaced settings).

Expected Results / Outcomes:

• At least 100 CSOs/YLOs strengthened in technical, financial, and advocacy capacities.

• Youth-led innovations are scaled and integrated into national and sub-national health systems.

• Cross-country Community of Practice established, fostering shared learning across 12 countries.

• Policy reforms and financing mechanisms influenced to prioritize adolescent-responsive health and nutrition services.

Improved access, equity, and outcomes in adolescent health and nutrition services.