The Next Generation of Public Health Starts Here.
60 students. 10 interdisciplinary teams. One real-world challenge. A new model for building public-health capacity through breast-health support, powered by systems thinking.
Inside the Program
Watch students apply systems thinking to one of Rwanda’s most important public-health challenges.
Two Cohorts. Ten Teams. One Mission.
University Cohort
ActiveUniversity students work through an interactive curriculum in a collaborative team environment. Initial campaign pitches have been submitted and are now in the expansion and refinement phase.
Secondary-School Cohort
Paused — Continuing — ContinuingThe cohort paused respectfully after Week 10 for school break. Initial campaign pitches were submitted, and the cohort will continue on students' return.
2
Cohorts
10
Teams
~60
Students
6
Disciplines per Team
This Is More Than a Competition
“The competition creates commitment. The curriculum develops systems thinking. The campaign makes learning visible. The process reveals leadership.”
The Program Lifecycle
Public Health Is a System.So Is the Solution.
Systems thinking is the operating system of Pink Youth Rising. Complex public-health challenges involve multiple causes, institutions, and behaviors — shaped by relationships between people, information, culture, access, and trust. Teaching young people to think in systems means building the capacity to understand and address these challenges at their roots.
Explore Systems Thinking
Building Leaders, Not Just Participants
The near-peer model places a 22-year-old youth instructor directly with the secondary cohort — someone who has learned systems thinking and now teaches it, developing a meaningful relationship with students.
“I have seen tremendous growth in the secondary youth cohort from Agahozo Shalom Youth Village. From never hearing about the term Systems Thinking, to creating credible, grounded campaign strategies that embody the understanding of systems. I am very impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and effort.”
Village Ambassadors
Trained ambassadors in rural communities who bridge the gap between campaigns and lived community experience. Trusted local connectors and a potential implementation network.
- Bridge between campaigns and lived community experience
- Trusted local connectors in rural communities
- Potential implementation network for student campaigns
Ethical AI as a Thinking Partner
Students use Gemini and NotebookLM as thinking partners, not shortcuts. Ethical AI requires questioning outputs, verifying claims, and protecting human accountability.
AI Is Used As
- Research assistant
- Perspective explorer
- Assumption-tester
AI Is Not
- × A replacement for judgment
- × An automatic truth
- × A shortcut
Ethical AI is deeply connected to systems thinking: both require questioning assumptions and looking beyond surface answers.
October: The Public Stage
The annual ULINZI Breast Cancer Walk during Breast Cancer Month in Rwanda becomes the public stage for Pink Youth Rising campaign reveals, winner announcement, student recognition, and community celebration.
October 10, 2026
Learn More About OctoberBe Part of the Story
Explore the work. Follow the journey. Partner with the platform. Apply for future cohorts.