Climate change is redrawing the malaria map, driving transmission into parts of Africa previously considered low-risk and threatening to undo decades of progress.

With rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events creating ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, the threat is evolving and spreading.

Goodbye Malaria is marking World Malaria Day 2025 with a renewed call for urgent increased investment, warning that environmental changes are fuelling a resurgence of malaria by expanding mosquito breeding grounds and straining the already limited resources available to fight the disease.

Without reinvestment, we risk losing the fight against malaria as fragile health systems struggle to keep up with the growing demand for prevention, treatment, and control in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

“Great progress was initially made against malaria, with the global mortality rate halved between 2000 and 2015,” says Sherwin Charles, CEO and co-founder of Goodbye Malaria. “Since then however, we’ve seen progressing plateauing mainly as a result of significant funding gaps, conflict zones and climate change.

Rising temperatures are expanding the range in which malaria-carrying mosquitoes can survive and reproduce. Warmer conditions allow mosquitoes to move into higher altitudes and previously temperate regions, including parts of South Africa, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Anopheles stephensi, a mosquito species native to South Asia and the Middle East, has been detected in African urban centres. Unlike traditional malaria vectors, these mosquitoes bite during the day and breed in artificial water containers, making control efforts significantly more complex.

Heavy rains and flooding have created new breeding grounds, while droughts followed by intense storms, result in stagnant pools that facilitate mosquito reproduction. Cyclones and other severe weather disrupt health systems by damaging infrastructure and cutting off access to prevention and treatment tools. In regions already struggling with weak health systems and limited resources, these impacts are especially dangerous.

In southern Mozambique, where years of consistent vector control had brought local transmission close to zero, recent flooding and delayed delivery of supplies caused a resurgence of cases.

South Africa is also experiencing shifting transmission patterns. On 17 April, news reports revealed the country is on high alert for malaria cases due to outbreaks in Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. Health officials called for vigilance, especially from travellers.

“Johannesburg, not traditionally a malaria-endemic region, has had an unusually wet summer, and malaria cases are ticking up in certain areas.

“South Africans often don’t recognise the threat unless they’ve travelled to a known malaria area,” says Charles. “As climate impacts, we need to move from seasonal caution to year-round awareness.”

Malaria is particularly dangerous for young children and pregnant women, who are less able to fight off the parasite.

In 2023, Africa accounted for 95% of global malaria deaths, according to the World Health Organization’s 2024 Malaria Report. Malaria-endemic countries like Malawi and Mozambique have seen further increases following recent climate-related disasters such as Cyclone Freddy.

Despite the challenges, new innovations like spatial emanator and drug compounds could become powerful tools in the fight against malaria. However, deploying such tools at scale requires innovative finance and user acceptability.

Achieving a malaria-free world will require sustained investment in proven interventions – underpinned by strong political will, increased domestic funding from malaria-affected countries, and robust international partnerships. This includes full replenishment of the Global Fund and Gavi, rethinking strategies to address persistent challenges, and reigniting momentum to accelerate progress toward elimination.

“Innovation is only useful if it reaches the people who need it most,” says Charles. “Without sustained investment, more lives will be at risk.”

The economic argument for malaria elimination is compelling. A recent report by Oxford Economics Africa, commissioned by Malaria No More UK, found that reducing malaria incidence and mortality by 90% by 2030 could unlock $142.7 billion in GDP gains for endemic countries and drive $80 billion in global trade.

But the international funding gap is growing. The Roll Back Malaria Partnership says the world needs $18.2 billion between 2024 and 2026 to fight malaria, but only 58%, or $10.6 billion, is currently financed.

Goodbye Malaria is urging a renewed commitment from global donors, the private sector, and governments alike. “Malaria is relentless. It evolves, migrates, and moves faster than the systems designed to stop it,” says Charles. “Without sustained leadership and increased investment, we risk reversing decades of progress. We’ve seen what works including innovative tools, community-led interventions, and cross-sector partnerships, but current investment with no urgency will see a malaria resurgence. Now is the time to act decisively.”

In a notable accolade for South African fintech, Harry Scherzer, CEO and co-founder of Future Forex, has been honoured with the prestigious “Forty Under 40 Global” in the Banking and Finance category – celebrating individuals under the age of 40 who have made notable contributions to the financial industry. The awards ceremony was held last week in Dubai, honouring rising leaders driving meaningful change across global industries.

Scherzer, a qualified actuary with a strong finance and risk management background, co-founded Future Forex to revolutionise the South African financial landscape. Future Forex was founded in 2020, launching with its flagship Arbitrage investment product (which continues to outperform traditional investments) before expanding into the international money transfer space. Today, it stands as the largest Arbitrage provider on the African continent  and the largest Forex intermediary in South Africa, having processed over R48 billion in forex deals to date.

Under Scherzer’s leadership, Future Forex has introduced innovative solutions in the international money transfer industry, offering a client-centric, cost-effective and transparent approach that challenges traditional banking services.

The award in Dubai adds to a series of accolades for Scherzer and Future Forex, including recognition in the 2024 Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans, the Forty Under 40 South Africa awards and the BCX Digital Innovation awards.

Reflecting on the achievement, Scherzer expressed gratitude to the Future Forex team, now over 130 strong, and emphasised the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence in serving clients. “This international recognition is a testament to the transformational work our team is doing to help thousands of South Africans prosper,” he said.

As Future Forex continues to expand its services and push the boundaries of financial technology, Scherzer’s recognition on the global stage underscores the company’s role in the future of finance in South Africa and beyond.

South Africa’s unemployment crisis is a national tragedy. Stats SA in the final Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for 2024 confirmed the scale of the challenge – too many are seeking work and finding only frustration. But what if this crisis could be rebranded as an opportunity? What if there’s a way to equip jobless South Africans with the skills they need to build real careers, even if it means setting them up to look for overseas opportunities first? The world needs trained workers and skilled professionals, particularly in the food production, hospitality and customer service industries.

Training South Africans to meet those needs would be life changing and the impact of training programmes tailored for international employers would be invaluable. Our people could gain global experience, earn competitive wages and develop much-needed expertise, which they’ll bring home with them and put to work strengthening South African industries. It’s a win-win situation, that much is undeniable. The only thing that remains is figuring out how to make it happen faster – how to effectively turn local training into launchpads for global careers.

Setting the scene – breaking down the figures
South Africa’s official unemployment rate saw a slight dip to 31.9% in Q4 2024, according to Stats SA. While this shows a small increase in employment and a decrease in the number of unemployed, it masks a concerning trend: a rise in discouraged work-seekers by 160 000 (up by 5,0%). This suggests that many have given up hope of finding employment, a worrying indicator of the depth of the problem. Furthermore, youth unemployment, while showing a marginal improvement to 44.6%, remains high, indicating the continued vulnerability of young people in the labour market.

The big picture here? Millions of people, especially young people, cannot find jobs. This is partly because businesses, both international and South African, aren’t investing enough in the country. Factors like complicated regulations make it hard to do business here and companies often look elsewhere, discouraged from expansion and investment by the amount of red tape involved in dealing with South Africa. For our youth, 337 158 matrics qualified recently for university admission but there are only 202 000 places at campuses around the country. This shows that we have people willing to work and willing to learn; however, a shortage of opportunities prevents them from doing so.

Rebranding to find a new horizon of opportunity

On the other hand, there is an urgent need for skilled workers in places like Europe and America. They’ve got aging populations and not enough young people to fill the vacancies. Plus, even though still highly-qualified, a lot of people aren’t interested in some of the more basic, but still important, jobs – like business administrative work or skilled trades. Even call centres in the UK cannot retain staff, despite competitive pay and lucrative benefits. Simply put, these just aren’t jobs that people over there want to do, and that leaves a gap for South Africans to fill.

So, how do we help South Africans to seize these life-changing global opportunities? This is where targeted training comes in, with the potential to address our unemployment crisis from a fresh angle. We’re already seeing interest from overseas companies looking to hire, and now our job is to bridge the gap by equipping people with the skills they need to take them overseas to more mature markets. It’s about training people to meet international standards so they can confidently take on 12-month contracts abroad.

Preparing for global work and strengthening local industries
Consider this analogy: Just as South Africans frequently relocate within the country for employment opportunities, so too could they seek work internationally. Instead of a move from Mpumalanga to Cape Town, for example, it now becomes possible to make a move from Mpumalanga to London. The pay is competitive, the experience is incredible, and when these individuals return, their employability has increased.

South Africa’s technical and occupational skills training is already at a high standard, often aligned with curricula such as Australia and New Zealand. But to take it to the next level, training must also focus on workplace traits like adaptability, cultural awareness, and a strong work ethic. Focusing on the EQ side of training is as important as skills, as work culture in places like America can be very different, with the expectation for a high level of commitment and performance. So, by focusing on incorporating these key areas into our local training programmes, we can equip South Africans to ensure success in global work environments.

When South Africans return home after working abroad, they bring valuable experience and expertise that can significantly benefit local industries. They gain exposure to best practices, particularly in areas like customer service and operational efficiency, often experiencing a higher standard than what is typical in South Africa. This exposure allows them to identify areas for improvement and implement new strategies upon their return. Furthermore, the international experience broadens their perspective on business in general, giving individuals a more global outlook. It is this enhanced skillset and mindset that will make them highly sought-after employees, increasing their chances of securing better jobs and with the possibility of driving innovation within their respective industries.

Moving from unemployment to opportunity
The bottom line is that training South Africans for jobs overseas isn’t just about sending people away. Rather, it is a significant opportunity for national development.  Think of it as a long-term investment. While these South Africans are out there, they are learning skills and gaining experience that will make them highly employable when they come back. They will bring fresh ideas, maybe even start their own businesses, and that will have a positive long term economic impact. Plus, the money they send home will benefit our economy immediately.

Of course, it would be preferable for this job creation to happen at home, but until then, this is an incredible way to give people much-needed opportunities that build a better future for South Africa. It’s obvious: getting real-world, international work experience beats sitting at home without a job any day. This approach prioritises investment in our people, our nation’s most valuable asset.