Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games: WHO relies on schools to make young people ambassadors for health

On November 6, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the "Sport & Health Labs" at the Cours Sacré-Cœur in Dakar. Through five interactive stations, the initiative aims to raise awareness among young people about mental health, physical activity, nutrition, and the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026 are extending into schools. On November 6, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the "Sport & Health Labs" at the Cours Sacré-Cœur school in Dakar, with the aim of empowering young people to become active participants in health promotion. The program is based on five educational stations: Connect, Challenge, Explore, Check, and Act.

Through interactive activities, students are invited to discover health issues, take on challenges, test their knowledge, and make commitments to adopt healthier lifestyles. Topics covered include mental health, physical activity, prevention of non-communicable diseases, women's health, and menstrual hygiene.

Representing the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, the director of SNEISS, Cheikh Sidaty Djimbira, praised an approach that goes beyond traditional awareness-raising methods. According to him, the aim is to allow young people "to experience, understand, exchange ideas, and adopt behaviors that promote their health." He also emphasized the need for multi-sectoral collaboration to ensure the long-term sustainability of these initiatives.

For his part, the WHO representative in Senegal warned of the rise in non-communicable diseases and the impact of physical inactivity. Citing the STEPS 2024 survey, he indicated that only 6.1% of respondents engage in sufficient physical activity. He therefore recommended that young people be active for at least 60 minutes a day, reduce their screen time, and prioritize a diet lower in salt, sugar, and fat.

Making Health Labs a legacy of the Youth Olympic Games

On behalf of the Ministry of National Education, Ms. Fatou Diop Mbodji emphasized that health and well-being are essential conditions for academic success. She specifically advocated for safe and inclusive schools that provide attentive listening and psychosocial support to students.

The headmaster of Cours Sacré-Cœur, Brother Alouise Diouf, also encouraged students to make physical activity a daily habit and not to hesitate to ask for help when they encounter difficulties. The WHO hopes to make this experience a lasting legacy by establishing the Health Labs as a health-related achievement of the event, through educational resources and young ambassadors who can disseminate prevention messages in Dakar and the regions. A set of sports equipment will also be provided to the school to encourage continued physical activity after the Games.

🔥 𝗧𝘂 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲́ ? 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿. 👀 📢On the occasion of @dakar2026, @OMS_SENEGAL opens the doors of 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 & 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀: a space where sport and health are discovered in a different way. 🧠 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲́ 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲 🏃🏾 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲́ 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲́𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 🩸 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲́ 𝗳𝗲́𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 🗣️During the #Games, we celebrate performance. But behind every performance, there is also a body, a mind, choices and habits that matter. ▶️This is the whole point of 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 & 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀: to harness the energy of #Dakar2026 to put health at the heart of young people's experience, starting from their realities and the world of sport. ➿Here, there are no lectures or traditional awareness booths. Each Lab is a short, interactive and participatory experience, built around five steps: 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧 — discover the theme 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 — take up a challenge 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗘 — manipulate to understand 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞 — confront your ideas 𝗔𝗖𝗧 — take action 📍 The Labs are ready. 🔥 Challenges too! Join us at #CollègeSacréCoeur and come experience Start & Hallt Labs! 📢

— OMS SENEGAL (@OMS_SENEGAL)

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