How Gogos and Mothers are Helping Defeat Malaria

Photo Credit: Supplied by Liesl Swart (UP Marketing and Media Relations)

One of the most encouraging developments in rural malaria response has been the rise of women citizen scientists. That is the gogos and mothers spreading life-saving information, seeking early testing when symptoms appear and collecting health data to assess the impact of malaria in their communities.

Pretoria, South Africa (23 April 2026) – World Malaria Day is commemorated every year on 25 April and serves as a global call to action against one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases.

While the fight to eliminate malaria may have begun in laboratories, it requires effort that goes further, reaching the homes, villages, and clinics where life happens.

This year’s World Malaria Day theme, ‘Driven to end malaria: Now we can. Now we must.’, is a reminder that medicine and science alone cannot eradicate malaria. Success also depends on the people who protect families and strengthen communities every day. The gogos, mothers, young women and other citizen scientists playing a vital role in prevention, early action and creating public awareness.

According to the University of Pretoria’s Project Manager for Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), Dr Taneshka Kruger and UP ISMC Director Prof Tiaan de Jager, women and grandmothers, by occupying a unique position of trust, can act as the primary educators and first responders in their communities.

How Women Are in a Position to Defeat Malaria

Kruger and de Jager note that in many rural communities, mothers – and especially grandmothers – are the backbone of family life. They shape household health practices, encourage clinic visits, and ensure children use preventative measures against malaria, such as sleeping under protective nets, where possible.

Their lived experience gives them influence and trust, and when equipped with up-to-date malaria information, they become powerful advocates for prevention. They are often the first to notice symptoms such as fever, fatigue or vomiting, and frequently help decide when and how medical care is sought.

Women also care for elderly family members, who may have weaker immune systems and be more vulnerable to complications from malaria. In areas where clinics are far away or transport is limited, their vigilance can be lifesaving.

Young women – whether students, entrepreneurs, community workers or volunteers – also play an increasingly important role in sharing reliable malaria information. They help bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and everyday community life, promoting practical actions such as:

Seeking early testing when symptoms such as fever appear
Reducing mosquito breeding sites through environmental management
Using preventative strategies to avoid mosquito bites
Consistent use of insecticide-treated bed nets where available
Attending antenatal clinics for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), in countries where these programmes are offered.

Through each of these actions and more, women’s leadership strengthens community resilience and promotes healthier futures.

Limpopo Women Spreading Life-Saving Knowledge

One of the most encouraging developments in rural malaria response is the rise of women citizen scientists. Through training programmes supported by research institutions, women from local communities are gaining skills to assist with field data collection and malaria surveillance.

In malaria research conducted by the University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control in Limpopo’s Vhembe District, women citizen scientists have contributed by:

Engaging tribal authorities and communities about the purpose of the research and how communities can benefit
Collecting health data to assess the impact of malaria control methods on people and the environment
Collecting mosquito samples for vector surveillance and climate-related research
Gathering knowledge, attitude and practice data through surveys
Conducting interviews before and after interventions to assess effectiveness
Running focus groups to better understand community needs, behaviours and challenges.

By participating in field research, these women gain scientific skills while contributing directly to malaria control strategies. Their involvement helps ensure that research is done in local languages, reflects lived realities and leads to practical action communities can trust and use.

Just as importantly, this model expands women’s roles beyond traditional caregiving expectations. It positions them as knowledge holders, data contributors and active partners in scientific discovery. It also shows young girls in these communities that science is accessible, relevant and open to them.

From Community Member to Citizen Scientist

When mothers, gogos and young women understand the risks malaria poses – especially to pregnant women and children under five – they are better equipped to protect their families.

When they are empowered as citizen scientists, they move from being passive recipients of health messaging to active drivers of change, contributing to local malaria elimination efforts. Their combined role as caregivers, educators and research partners strengthens both households and health systems.

“On this World Malaria Day, we should recognise and honour the women who care for feverish children through the night, accompany pregnant daughters to clinics, share trusted advice with neighbours, and step into fields and villages as trained citizen scientists. By investing in women’s knowledge, leadership and participation at home, in communities and in science, we move closer to a future free from this preventable disease,” Kruger and de Jager conclude.