Y-ACT Youth In Action

Y-ACT Youth In Action Y-ACT, Youth in Action, was formed at Amref Health Africa by a group of young innovators in 2017 to address challenges prioritized by the youth.

We have become one of the region’s most influential youth-led movements. An initiative by Amref Health Africa and the Advocacy Accelerator, Y-ACT aims to mentor, support and increase the capacity of youth advocates .

🚨 Young people are being targeted.From colourful packaging and sweet flavours to influencer content and digital marketin...
31/05/2026

🚨 Young people are being targeted.

From colourful packaging and sweet flavours to influencer content and digital marketing, to***co and ni****ne products are increasingly designed to appeal to a new generation of users. This World No To***co Day, we are joining the global call to and expose the tactics used to make harmful products look attractive.

The reality is stark:
▪️ 40 million adolescents aged 13–15 use to***co globally
▪️ At least 15 million adolescents are already using e-cigarettes
▪️ In many countries, children are far more likely to v**e than adults

At Y-ACT, we believe young people deserve the facts, not the marketing. Because when we recognize the tactics, we are better equipped to reject them.

***coDay

29/05/2026

Behind every cigarette ad, every flavored product, every "harmless" high, there is a calculation. And in Sierra Leone, that calculation has a body count. Since 2022, kush has likely killed thousands of people across West Africa. It is smoked mixed with to***co, cheap by design, and engineered to target young people aged 20 to 35. By April 2024, H.E. President Bio declared a national state of emergency. Kush is now the leading substance driving drug use disorder treatment in Sierra Leone, according to the UNODC World Drug Report 2025. This is what the appeal looks like when you strip it back. Addictive by design. Cheap by design. Targeting young Africans by design. On , Sierra Leone is naming this crisis for what it is. Watch. Share. Amplify.

***coControl

28/05/2026



BRIGHT COLOUR. SWEET FLAVOURS. VIRAL TRENDS.

That’s how harmful ni****ne products are being packaged for young people.

BEHIND THE APPEAL IS ADDICTION.
BEHIND THE MARKETING IS MANIPULATION.

This World No To***co Day, we’re speaking out against the tactics targeting our generation through:
▪️ Vapes & e-cigarettes
▪️ Ni****ne pouches
▪️ Flavored ni****ne products
▪️ Lifestyle and social media marketing

Now we want to hear from you. Share a short video telling us:

- Why does World No To***co day matter?
- What makes to***co products appealing?
- What is the reality on the ground about to***co products?
- What should change in the county in terms of smoking to***co?

Tag us and help unmask the truth.

***coDay

Addiction is being packaged as something trendy, harmless, and made for young people. This ***coDay2026, youth leaders ...
22/05/2026

Addiction is being packaged as something trendy, harmless, and made for young people. This ***coDay2026, youth leaders from across the globe are coming together to expose the tactics behind to***co and ni****ne marketing and push for stronger protection for young people’s health and futures.

Y-ACT is proud to be part of this important global conversation alongside an inspiring lineup of youth advocates, storytellers, and changemakers committed to protecting future generations from ni****ne addiction and industry manipulation.

Join us this Wednesday for bold youth voices, honest conversations, and collective action. You do not want to miss this conversation.

🗓 May 27, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM GMT

Register via: https://ggtc.world/actions/webinars/unmasking-the-appeal-youth-counter-addiction-and-demand-accountability

YouthLeadership

As Y-ACT joins the world in commemorating ***coDay2026, we are unpacking this year's theme: "Unmasking the Appeal."Beca...
21/05/2026

As Y-ACT joins the world in commemorating ***coDay2026, we are unpacking this year's theme: "Unmasking the Appeal."

Because addiction does not always arrive looking harmful. Sometimes it looks trendy. Social. Flavoured. Aesthetic. Easy to fit into everyday life. That is the appeal, and it is carefully designed.

From branding and flavors to influencer culture and digital visibility, the to***co and ni****ne industries continue finding new ways to make harmful products feel attractive to young people. But once you recognize the strategy behind the image, it becomes harder to ignore what is really being sold.

Follow along as we unmask the appeal, layer by layer.

***coExposed

Youth leaders from around the world are coming together this ***coDay2026 to expose how to***co and ni****ne products a...
18/05/2026

Youth leaders from around the world are coming together this ***coDay2026 to expose how to***co and ni****ne products are designed to attract and addict young people, and to demand stronger accountability and action.

🗓 May 27, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM GMT/ 2 PM SAT/ 3 PM EAT

Register: ggtc.world/actions/webinars

The Women Deliver 2026 Conference may have come to a close, but its impact is still unfolding. Over the past few days, p...
04/05/2026

The Women Deliver 2026 Conference may have come to a close, but its impact is still unfolding. Over the past few days, people from across the world came together to take seriously the health, rights, and futures of women and girls. created space to listen, connect, and shape conversations on what happens next, both globally and within our local contexts. Strategies were formed. A Women Deliver Declaration is now in place.

The focus now is what that looks like in practice.
One of the moments we carried into this space was the Youth Power Hub Study. Built from the experiences of 347 young people across 23 countries, it reflects what youth-led accountability already looks like on the ground. Sharing this at meant those realities were part of the global conversation, not as an add-on, but as a foundation for how change happens. But the work does not end here.

In the months ahead, these insights will continue to move into national and regional spaces, contributing to efforts that strengthen accountability and ensure commitments translate into real outcomes for communities. Because momentum only matters if it continues. Read the Youth Power Hub Study via the link in bio!

YouthLedAccountability

Y-ACT is heading to and we're bringing Africa's youth accountability research insights to Melbourne! 🌍On April 29 (2:0...
16/04/2026

Y-ACT is heading to and we're bringing Africa's youth accountability research insights to Melbourne! 🌍On April 29 (2:00–3:30 PM AEDT), join our session: Youth-led Social Accountability on the ICPD Programme of Action, where we'll be sharing insights from the Youth Power Hub's ( ) study, drawn from the experiences of young people across 23 countries, on how youth are tracking commitments, engaging systems, and shaping decisions. Because commitments mean nothing without accountability. And accountability means nothing without youth at the center. If you're attending , we'd love to connect. Find us in the Youth Zone on April 29!

Explore the study here: https://tr.ee/vM-qRySm90

Women Deliver Amref Health Africa

Earlier this week, we launched the Kenyan chapter of the Youth-led To***co Control Advocacy Project. Kenya is seen as a ...
02/04/2026

Earlier this week, we launched the Kenyan chapter of the Youth-led To***co Control Advocacy Project. Kenya is seen as a leader in to***co control, but the reality is more complex. Enforcement gaps remain, new ni****ne products are outpacing regulation, and young people continue to be exposed in subtle, normalized ways.

One thing is clear. Youth engagement is essential.
With over half the population under 25, young people are not just affected, they are being targeted. That shifts the conversation from participation to leadership. This launch is a step forward. Now the focus is on sustained action, stronger collaboration, and closing the gap between policy and lived experience.

***coFreeKE ***coControl

To***co control in Africa isn’t a future ambition, it’s already in motion. But progress keeps getting slowed by myths ar...
30/03/2026

To***co control in Africa isn’t a future ambition, it’s already in motion. But progress keeps getting slowed by myths around health, culture, economics, and policy. This matters because misinformation doesn’t just confuse people, it delays action, weakens policies, and leaves young people more exposed.

Swipe through to see what’s often misunderstood about to***co control in Africa, and what the evidence actually shows. Follow us for clear facts and youth-led action shaping a to***co-free future across Africa.

***coFreeAfrica ***coControl

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27691-00500
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