#IJFAEAfrica: Advancing Life Saving First Aid Training across Africa

The Need for a Campaign

First aid education is essential for developing a strong public health system; it builds knowledge and practical skills, including among individuals without formal medical training (Ygiyeva et al., 2024). Yet, despite its critical role—particularly in low- and middle-income settings—research on first aid education from African countries remains underrepresented. The IJFAE was created to serve as an inclusive, open-access platform for advancing evidence-based first aid education worldwide, but several visibility and engagement gaps currently limit its reach and impact across Africa.

These gaps include limited awareness of the journal among first aid educators, non-governmental organizations, and training institutions; a low volume of African-led research submissions; and the absence of local ambassador networks and formal university linkages. As a result, valuable local knowledge, innovations, and contextualized practices remain under-shared, reinforcing inequities in whose evidence informs global first aid standards.

Coordinated, strategic campaigns have proven effective in addressing similar challenges across global health, education, and public safety (AlSabah et al., 2018). When thoughtfully designed, campaigns can raise awareness, strengthen systems, and mobilize resources. Given the urgent need to elevate African voices in first aid education research—and the growing global emphasis on bystander intervention and community-based emergency response—now is a critical moment to launch a focused campaign to expand IJFAE’s visibility, relevance, and impact across the continent. That is why we have launched #IJFAEAfrica, along with The Africa Collection, which includes articles fully translated into at least one African language other than English. Early contributions include articles on topics such as Stop the Bleed initiatives in Kenya and studies examining parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to safe medication storage and disposal in Libya.

Defining the Purpose of the Campaign

The primary purpose of the #IJFAEAfrica campaign is to amplify African authors and African research by positioning the IJFAE as a trusted, accessible, and relevant platform for first aid education research and innovation in African contexts. Increasing awareness that IJFAE is free to read and free to publish could lower structural barriers in places where funding for research is harder to come by. The IJFAE has a history of actively supporting emerging authors, including early-career researchers, through free online workshops, short courses, and mentorship programs in research methods, scientific writing, and first aid education. These have been designed to strengthen authors’ capacity and confidence, and we intend to maintain this offer as our volunteer body of ambassadors grows.

A key campaign goal is to increase submissions from African authors, particularly those focused on first aid education, training models, bystander response, and community-level interventions grounded in local realities. We especially welcome manuscripts such as program evaluations, training innovations, community-based projects, implementation case studies, student-led initiatives, and reflective practice pieces that translate local experience into shared learning. The campaign provides an opportunity to position first aid education as a core pillar of public health: increased awareness, training, and participation are interlinked and can drive behavior change when underpinned by evidence-based first aid practices and the translation of research into teaching and training. In this way, all stages of the Chain of Survival Behaviors can be implemented.

At a broader level, the campaign seeks to influence systems and policy by highlighting the life-saving impact of bystander intervention and the essential role of high-quality first aid education in strengthening emergency care pathways. By elevating evidence from African settings, the campaign can support advocacy for increased investment in training, community education, and institutional capacity building.

Our target audience includes:

• Academics and practitioners who may serve as authors, reviewers, and collaborators

• Universities and training institutions

• NGOs and professional organizations involved in first aid and emergency care

• Policymakers and health system leaders.

If you run a local training program, coordinate community health volunteers, or teach first aid to students, you already have experience, data, and stories that could become a publishable paper with our support.

Lessons from Other Successful Campaigns

Numerous global health campaigns—such as those focused on infectious disease prevention, vaccination uptake, and guideline dissemination—provide valuable lessons for this effort. They demonstrate how coordinated messaging, community engagement, and evidence translation can drive sustained impact (Ekezie et al., 2024). Studies examining vaccine communication strategies and guideline development processes highlight the importance of bridging evidence gaps through inclusive, context-sensitive approaches. In other instances, mass CPR education has been effective through a cascade principle using instructor-trainers who train instructors who then train rescuers (Strömsöe et al., 2010).

These examples underscore the power of intentional outreach, capacity-building, and platform accessibility in shifting who produces and benefits from knowledge. They also show that campaigns which center local voices and foster partnerships, rather than relying on one-directional dissemination, are more likely to produce lasting impact. For #IJFAEAfrica, this means prioritizing African languages, local champions, and community-led topics, and intentionally designing activities that enable educators and practitioners to shape both the questions asked and the evidence shared.

Throughout Africa, lifesaving first aid skills are being taught to laypersons in local training centers by local practitioners. Through #IJFAEAfrica, such work could be documented, good practices shared, and new approaches tested and improved across Africa and beyond.

What is #IJFAEAfrica?

Our vision is simple: to make IJFAE the go-to academic and practical resource for first aid education research and innovation across Africa. The campaign narrative emphasizes IJFAE as a platform that values African-led scholarship, supports emerging authors, and bridges academia, practice, and community outreach. Core messages focus on visibility, trust, and partnership within the health, education, and emergency sectors. Rather than positioning the journal as an external authority, the campaign frames IJFAE as a shared space for learning, innovation, and impact.

#IJFAEAfrica will start in 2026 with a focus on first-aid training, pre-hospital care, and research around emergency medical care.

Key Activities and Early Priorities

To bring this vision to life, #IJFAEAfrica will focus on several priorities:

• Establishing regional ambassador networks to connect the journal with local educators, institutions, and communities

• Forming partnerships with universities and training institutions to integrate first aid education research and IJFAE content into teaching and assessment

• Hosting writing workshops and webinars tailored for new and emerging authors, including those who have never published before

• Leveraging social media and professional networks to improve digital visibility, promote African-language content, and share success stories

• Fostering interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations that connect first aid educators with public health, emergency care, and policy stakeholders.

In the first year of the campaign important activities include:

• Hosting targeted online writing workshops

• Recruiting ambassadors from a minimum of 5 African countries

• Highlighting at least 3 African-led articles in the African Collection

• Partnering with at least 2 universities to incorporate IJFAE content

Community-based and practitioner-led partnerships will be essential to ensure relevance and sustainability. We will monitor the number and nature of partnerships, explore whether university collaborations lead to research training opportunities and increased student engagement in first aid education, and track the integration of IJFAE-related content into academic programs. Measuring the success of this work over time will help us focus on activities where there is the most need and learn as we go.

We also plan to share periodic updates on campaign progress through the IJFAE website, social media channels, and future editorials, so contributors can see how their efforts contribute to a wider movement.

Communication and Dissemination

Effective implementation will require a clear communication strategy that leverages institutional partners, professional societies, academic networks, and digital platforms. Dissemination efforts will use both formal academic channels (journal articles, conference presentations, institutional partnerships) and informal outreach (social media, community networks, practitioner groups). Translating key messages into widely spoken African languages and tailoring content to different audiences will be central to this approach.

Through well-designed collaborative efforts, the campaign can lead to greater participation, stronger evidence, and improved first aid education and outcomes across Africa. Our aim is that first aid educators, community volunteers, students, and emergency care professionals across the continent see IJFAE as a home for their ideas, innovations, and research.

How You Can Be Part of #IJFAEAfrica

The all-volunteer Editorial Team of the IJFAE calls on its readers to support the #IJFAEAfrica campaign. Whether you are an experienced researcher, a community trainer, a student, or a practitioner, there is a role for you.

There are many ways to get involved including:

• Sharing your work: Submit manuscripts that describe your programs, evaluations, training innovations, or lessons learned from practice.

• Learning and building skills: Join our online workshops and mentoring opportunities to develop skills in research design, data analysis, and scientific writing.

• Connecting and collaborating: Partner with us as a university, training institution, NGO, or professional body, or volunteer as a reviewer or ambassador.

You can start by exploring the Africa Collection and visiting our submissions page to read our author guidelines. If you have questions or ideas, you can email us at editor@firstaid-revolution.org

Even if you have never published before, or if English is not your first language, we encourage you to get in touch. Imperfect drafts and early-stage ideas are welcome; our commitment to equity includes supporting authors to shape and strengthen their work, not only assessing final manuscripts.

We invite you to support #IJFAEAfrica by sharing this article with colleagues, students, and friends; following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook @ijfae; and connecting us with institutions or networks that might wish to collaborate. Together, we can build a vibrant, Africa-led evidence base for first aid education and contribute to saving lives across the continent.

Competing Interests

Hamza Tamba, William Kimanzi and Mai Hilal Al Mahdi Abdulwahhab provide first aid education in Africa. Nardos Makonnen and Esther Good work with healthcare providers in Africa.