13 November, 2026

Cairo was the place to be for social marketing this week. The African Social Marketing Association Conference (AfSMAC) brought together practitioners, researchers and organisations from across the field, all exploring one big question: what does it really take to create behaviour change that lasts?

We were thrilled to be part of it, representing SKY, our pan-African behaviour change programme for teenage girls. Created by Good Business, funded by the Gates Foundation, and delivered in partnership with multiple organisations across sub-Saharan Africa, SKY Girls uses media, culture and creativity to support girls in making positive choices about their lives and futures.

Our colleagues Rosie and Justine, alongside Svetlana from the SKY Girls Kenya team, took to the stage to present our approach and impact. Reflecting on over a decade of SKY Girls, we shared three key principles that have shaped our work: start with the person, not the issue; give girls a real say in the content created for them; and recognise the influence that family, friends, communities and institutions have on the choices girls make.

Justine also joined the Industry Insights panel with Jude Khalaf from MAGENTA Consulting and Lillian Diaz from 17 Triggers, facilitated by Claire Naidoo. They discussed how to build trust and partnerships that last, how to reach audiences as media habits change, and how to use new technologies without losing the human understanding behind behaviour change.

Beyond our own sessions, it was great to connect in person and learn from others. We were struck by the breadth of social marketing and behaviour change work happening across countries, from public health to environmental sustainability, and by how much we can learn by sharing experiences across sectors and communities.

A big thank you to AfSMA for bringing everyone together!

By Justine Bahoumina