Competition rules
GHAYIB 2026 — Global Health Africa Young Innovator Boost, 9th Forum Galien Africa.
1.Purpose
GHAYIB 2026 rewards young innovators and young researchers whose work contributes to the equitable integration of mental health into Primary Health Care in Africa.
2.Eligibility
The competition is open to young project leads and young researchers. The age and nationality conditions applicable to this edition are verified when the technical secretariat screens applications.
3.Submitting an application
One account entitles you to one application. The form is completed online, step by step, with automatic saving. It can be resumed as often as needed until it is submitted.
4.Deadline
Applications close on 7 October 2026 at 23:59 UTC. The close is hard and verified server-side: no submission is accepted after that moment.
5.Assessment
The technical committee reviews applications from 8 to 20 October 2026 against six shared criteria. Each application is reviewed by several jury members. The official score is the average of those reviews.
6.Finalists
Six finalists are announced on 25 October 2026: four for the Technological Innovations track, two for the Scientific Research track. The selection ensures geographic diversity and gender balance. Ties are broken successively on mental health impact, then viability, then time of submission.
7.Prize pool
10,000 USD in total: 5,000 USD for the first prize, 3,000 USD for the second, 2,000 USD for the third. Prizes are presented at the closing ceremony on 11 December 2026.
8.Intellectual property
Applicants retain all rights to their project. By applying, they authorise the organisers to use the title, summary and visuals provided for communication about the competition.
9.Personal data
Data processing is described in the privacy policy, which each applicant accepts explicitly at the declarations step.
10.Changes
The organisers reserve the right to adjust the timeline or terms in case of force majeure. Any change is published on this page and notified to registered applicants.
Official scoring grid
| Criterion | Innovations track | Research track |
|---|---|---|
| Disruptivity / Rigor | Originality of the solution, relevant use of technology and AI | Methodological rigor, protocol, data validity |
| Mental health impact | Improves access to primary health care, reduces inequalities | Value of the evidence for public policy |
| Viability / Applicability | Business model, scalability, deployment potential | Potential to translate results into clinical practice |
| Team and expertise | Complementary profiles, execution capability | Institutional anchoring, academic rigor |
| Pitch quality | Storytelling clarity, concision, quality of the Q&A | Ability to popularize complex scientific data |
| Ethics and sustainability | Data protection, compliance, social impact | Bioethics committee compliance, integrity |