Consortium partners (Core Group, EVIHDAF, Matchboxology, Makerere University, University of the Witwatersrand, and Save the Children), on behalf of the Agency for All project participated at the first African Social Marketing Association Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa from April 24-26, 2023. With the School of Business Sciences at the University of Witwatersrand, Agency for All co-sponsored this event which brought together international and regional organizations, the private sector, and academics working in social marketing, social and behavior change (SBC), and public health. The inaugural conference celebrated the official registration of the African Social Marketing Association (a new regional branch of the International Social Marketing Association) and provided valuable opportunities for networking and reflection on the successes and challenges the social marketing community has faced in the wake of the global pandemic and other health, climate, and economic changes.

Alongside in-country experts, we explored how agency is positioned within social marketing discussions, especially private sector, and how Agency for All could be engaging in these spaces. Organizers plan to make this successful conference an annual event.

(Original Source: Agency for All Quarterly Newsletter)