Our story
About SMAfrica
From a youth spark to a continental health innovation platform.
Our story
Every meaningful journey begins with a simple purpose.
SMAfrica was founded in 2014 by Dr. Mehad Nasreldin as a youth-led initiative dedicated to supporting Sudanese secondary-school students through psychological support and motivation during one of the most important stages of their academic lives. What started as a grassroots effort to inspire young people quickly grew into a broader commitment to strengthening communities through youth leadership and service.
As the initiative expanded, it became clear that a stronger institutional foundation was needed to sustain its growing impact. In 2017, the organization was formally registered with Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission as the Sudan Voluntary Organization for Motivation (SVOM) — transforming a volunteer-driven initiative into a structured organization capable of delivering psychosocial support and community programs with greater reach and accountability.
Growth continued beyond national borders. In 2019, SVOM established strategic partnerships that extended its work internationally, creating new opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and regional engagement. These experiences reshaped the organization's vision, revealing that the challenges facing communities required innovative, youth-driven solutions that could reach beyond Sudan.
This evolution led to the creation of SMAfrica — a name that honors the organization's Sudanese roots while reflecting its commitment to advancing health innovation and empowering young leaders across Africa. In 2025, this transformation was formally consolidated through the registration of SMAfrica for Innovations Company Limited by Guarantee.
While our identity has evolved, our purpose remains unchanged: empowering young people, strengthening communities, and developing innovative solutions that improve lives across Sudan and the African continent.
Vision
SMAfrica aspires to be a youth-led African platform transforming access to quality healthcare through innovative, comprehensive, and sustainable solutions which are preventive, curative, community-based, and digital, while equipping the next generation with the psychological and professional tools to lead their communities. We aim to empower one million young people and facilitate access to innovative health consultations and services for millions by 2035, scaling a Sudanese model regionally and continentally.
Mission
We empower young people across Sudan and Africa to create and implement innovative health and community solutions that expand equitable access to quality healthcare. We achieve this by building young people's personal, professional, and psychological capacities; developing innovative technologies and practical models; establishing hybrid (virtual and physical) innovation incubators; and building strategic partnerships that connect communities, institutions, and policymakers to drive sustainable health-system transformation.
Core pillars
How we organize our work
Four interconnected pillars guide every program, partnership, and community initiative.
Health Innovation
Designing and deploying innovative technologies and practical models that expand access to quality healthcare.
Capacity Building
Empowering young people through personal, professional, and psychological development.
Youth Innovation Hubs
Supporting locally led health and social enterprises through hybrid (virtual and physical) innovation incubators.
Strategic Partnerships & Policy
Connecting communities, institutions, policymakers, and development partners to scale sustainable health-system transformation.