About Us

About us

Empowering Africa’s Future: Where Health, Climate, and Nature Converge

At the African Institute for Health and Climate Communication (AFRIHECOM), we believe that the health of people, nature, and climate are inseparable. Founded in 2013 as the Africa Health Communication Research Centre, we have evolved into a pan-African thought leader at the intersection of climate resilience, public health, and transformative communication.

We are not just researchers. We are storytellers, advocates, innovators, and community allies — working across borders to ensure that African voices shape the future of climate and health policy.

Our mission is clear:

To advance the interconnected health of people, nature, and climate through research, communication, and innovation in Africa — enabling communities, policymakers, and institutions to act on integrated solutions for a sustainable and resilient future.

And our vision?

A healthy, climate-resilient Africa where nature-based solutions, equity, and informed communication empower communities to thrive in harmony with their environment.

40%

Reducing Cholera in Kisumu Slums

A community storytelling campaign reduced cholera cases by **40% during flood season** by promoting safe hygiene practices in culturally relevant ways.

50%

Malaria Prevention Through Wetland Restoration – Kakamega

Collaborating with local leaders, we restored 12 hectares of wetlands, reducing mosquito breeding sites and improving water quality for over 3,000 residents.

Why We Exist

Bridging the Gap Between Science and Action

Climate change is no longer a distant threat, it’s here. From prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa to devastating floods in West Africa, communities are facing unprecedented health challenges: rising malaria cases, malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and mental health stress.

Yet, despite growing scientific evidence, there remains a critical gap between knowledge and action. That’s where AFRIHECOM steps in.

We exist to translate complex climate-health science into meaningful action, using strategic communication, participatory research, and community-led innovation. We don’t just publish reports; we amplify stories, shift behaviors, influence policies, and co-create solutions with the people who live them. Because real change doesn’t come from the top down, it grows from the ground up.

Why We Exist

Our Approach: Integrated. Inclusive. Impactful.

AFRIHECOM’s work is built on four foundational pillars that define how we operate across Africa:

1.Interconnectedness: One Health, One Planet

We treat climate, health, and the environment as one interconnected system. Whether restoring wetlands

to reduce malaria or promoting agroforestry to improve nutrition, our solutions reflect the reality that you cannot protect people without protecting nature.

2. Communication for Change: Turning Knowledge into Action

We use Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), storytelling, media engagement, and digital tools to make science accessible, relatable, and actionable. From radio dramas in rural villages to policy briefs for ministers, we craft messages that resonate across cultures and contexts.

3. Nature-Based Solutions: Healing People by Healing the Planet

We champion ecosystems as infrastructure — from urban green spaces that reduce heat stress to reforested catchments that purify water. Nature isn’t just part of the solution — it is the solution.

4. Equity and Inclusion: No One Left Behind

We center women, youth, indigenous communities, and persons with disabilities in every project. Climate justice begins when those most affected lead the response. Our Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) framework ensures equity isn’t an afterthought — it’s embedded in everything we do.

Services

🌱 What We Do: Advancing Climate-Health Resilience Across Africa

AFRIHECOM works across seven integrated focus areas, each designed to build resilience, improve health, and strengthen communication.

Each of these areas is powered by strategic communication, because awareness leads to action, and stories spark transformation

Climate-Resilient WASH

Strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene systems in flood- and drought-prone areas through community-led campaigns and risk communication.

Climate-Smart Livelihoods

Empowering women and youth with drought-tolerant farming, green entrepreneurship, and eco-tourism opportunities.

Food Systems & Nutrition

Promoting biodiverse, climate-adaptive agriculture that improves food security and dietary health.

Health Systems Resilience

Building early warning systems, training frontline workers, and integrating climate data into public health planning.

Climate Justice & GESI

Ensuring inclusive decision-making and addressing structural inequalities in climate-health programming.

Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)

Restoring wetlands, forests, and green cities to reduce disease, enhance water access, and cool urban environments.

Funfact

Our Impact: Real Change, Real Communities

We measure success not just in publications, but in lives transformed. Here’s how our work is making a difference.

These numbers represent real people, real communities, and real change — all made possible through partnership, innovation, and the power of communication.

1 +

Years of Impact

1 +

Women Empowered

1 +

Countries Reached

1 %

Reduction in Waterborne Diseases

Testimonial

It’s always a joy to hear that the work we do, has positively reviews.

At AFRIHECOM, our success isn’t measured in reports , it’s written in the voices of the people we serve. From pastoralist women growing food in drought-stricken lands to youth leading climate storytelling in urban slums, these are the stories that fuel our mission.

Our Partners

Our partners & collaborators

AFRIHECOM builds strong partnerships with organizations that share our vision for a healthier, climate-resilient future. Together, we co-create solutions, amplify impact, and scale innovations across Africa.