January 2026

We begin this new year, hopeful but cautious. Last year had us paying keen attention to some key priorities to focus on, especially all the things that would allow us to still flourish despite the never ending changing. Things that forced us to be open to the goodness that exists within ourselves. There was attention to growing with our communities and nurturing all the things that made us unique, like our light, and how we choose to spread it despite all the darkness around us. 

Our year of focus turned into countless grants (most of which failed) and publications (most of which were successful), and continued commitment to cultivating and sustaining partnerships.

For starters, we connected deeply with Nigeria’s own core Response Center to Cancer Control. This led us to not only join these leaders as part of the World Cancer Day events, but to also become a supportive member of the new National Cancer Control Plan – to be launched next year.

A commitment to focus meant we were steadfast with how to use our skills to help Nigeria achieve its priorities with cancer. We engaged with policymakers, invited the Chair of the National Cancer Control Plan to our institution as a distinguished speaker, all while being open to all the lessons we could learn from what it means to work with drafting a policy plan with policymakers to end cancer as we know it.

Lessons from last year continue into the new year where we begin again with a renewed focus on priorities ahead with global health. For starters, while we don’t have all of the answers, we remain focused on what it means to create a plan founded on how to last sustainably despite funding or disruptions to it. Our approach to cultivating people, learning from them, adapting with them, and nurturing what matters with them is at the heart of our journey into this new year.

So we begin 2026 reminding you all of our story, our focus, our plan with a team of committed people, and our approach to learning, to adapting, to nurturing what matters will help us sustain what we know matters.

2025 was a busy year for the team at the Light Institute! As we start this new year, we also took time to recognize our progress and success throughout the previous 12 months. In 2025, our team: 

We are grateful to have a team of dedicated individuals and a network of partners and supporters and look forward to our continued work in 2026! 

In celebration of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025, the 4 Youth by Youth (4YBY) program hosted its seventh annual World AIDS Day event, marking a significant milestone in the fight against the HIV epidemic. Under the theme Persistence, this year’s open call, titled Persistence 4 Health, highlighted the resilience required to provide and sustain youth-friendly health services in a challenging public health climate.

Launched as a social media open call running from October 17 to November 17, 2025, the open call asked participants, “How might we persist in providing youth-friendly HIV self-testing (HIVST) and prevention services?” The open call resonated at a time when health professionals, community-based organizations, and youth ambassadors continue to navigate hurdles and shifting priorities. 4YBY received 137 submissions from youth across the country, each offering innovative strategies to persist in providing youth-friendly HIV self-testing (HIVST) and prevention services.

On December 1, 2025, 10 selected youth finalists presented their innovative ideas virtually. The event brought together public health professionals, researchers, and peers to stand in solidarity against the HIV epidemic in Nigeria. The presentations showcased many young innovators focused on modern tools, including digital apps and artificial intelligence to provide support and HIVST guidance, integrating health education and literacy programs directly into National Youth Service Corps camps and schools, and automating administrative burdens for health workers to allow greater focus on care. These ideas, along with many other creative approaches, were presented.

The top three winners were selected at the event and received cash awards for their ideas. These winners will continue working with 4YBY to further disseminate their ideas. All youth who submitted ideas gained valuable exposure to a network of health professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and peers dedicated to advancing the HIV response among young people.

To learn more about the winners and the future of HIV prevention, please read the full article on our website. 

The Innovative Rapid Enabling, Affordable, point of care HPV self-testing strategy (IREACH) program recently hosted its first Open Call, asking individuals across Nigeria "How might we design user-friendly packaging for HPV self-test kits that increases uptake of HPV self-testing among women in your community?" 

The team received a total of 82 submissions, which were judged on desirability to women, innovation, feasibility and scalability, equity, and impact. After being reviewed by a panel of judges, the top 10 submissions were determined and these finalist teams have been invited to a week-long Designation in May.  

The IREACH team is so grateful to everyone who submitted their ideas and we will share more about the finalists, their ideas, and the winners in our May edition. Stay tuned!

The 4 Communities by Communities team hosted an Instagram live webinar on January 16 to commemorate Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in collaboration with Angie Courage Award winners. 
The top 3 Angie Courage Award winners are community based organizations based in Nigeria that have have used storytelling to raise awareness about cervical cancer. In the webinar, the Angie Courage Award winners introduced their community based organizations and the work they have done and intend to do surrounding cervical cancer - including using AI to educate people about cervical cancer and community outreach events to raise awareness. The webinar was thoroughly engaging and participants left learning about the important work organizations are pursuing and more about cervical cancer.

In honor of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD, wrote a reflection on the Light Institute for Global Health and Transformation’s commitment to ending cervical cancer, her personal connection to cervical cancer, the current state and future of cervical cancer prevention, and her vision for a world without cervical cancer. To read the post, please visit our website. 

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