2024-10-01 10:31:00
Abdelaali El Badaoui is not a public health activist like others. Born and raised in the suburbs of Paris, he grew up with a keen awareness of the inequalities that marked access to care in working-class and rural areas. Early on, he witnessed social, cultural and economic barriers that prevented the most vulnerable from accessing critical health services. Image.
In the beginning, nothing was planned before Abdelaali El Badaoui to work in the health sector. Born in 1988, he grew up in a modest family in the suburbs of Paris. At only six years old, Abdelaali El Badaoui survived a terrible accident which left him with burns on 70% of his body. This sad experience, together with the administrative problems faced by his illiterate Moroccan parents, made him determined to help the most deprived. His early years were marked by the social and economic challenges that many families with immigrant origins faced. Early on, Abdelaali had to work to meet his needs. After an informal career, the choice between work as a cleaner, a nurse, and a high-level sports career in sports, while continuing studies in the medical-social area. Abdelaali eventually earned a nursing degree. It was during her years working as a hospital nurse that she became fully aware of the deep inequalities in access to care in the working community and decided to act to close this gap.
He remembers “as if it were yesterday” a special moment which prompted him to “go”: “One day, I saw a mother, with her children, who were unable to understand the steps to access treatment. That’s when I realized that something had to be done. These areas have to be reconnected to the health system. » This factor leads to the creation of Community Health in 2018, the group was born from his decision to change things. You are able to turn a journey filled with pitfalls into a driving force in your life and turn it into something good.
The creation of Banlieues Santé: a bridge between health and communities
The main objective of Banlieues Santé is clear: to rebuild the link between the population of the working area and the health system. For El Badaoui, the obstacles go well beyond the lack of services: “It is not only a question of medical equipment. It is also a problem of trust, of understanding the rules, of the language sometimes. This is why Banlieues Santé is there, to rebuild links and support residents. » The group is getting into the field, offering free interviews, and raising awareness of health issues.
The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 boosted the mission of Banlieues Santé, the group plays an important role in managing the health crisis in isolated areas. This period reinforces Abdelaali El Badaoui’s conviction that to truly reduce health inequalities, it is necessary to work upwards, by building sustainable solutions.
More than 100,000 people have benefited from the work of the group, which includes thirty qualified workers, in ten urban areas.
From commitment to investment
His knowledge is known at the highest level: He is accepted by all public authorities, recognized, – he sits on the board of directors of several companies and advises heads of state and managers on the issue of social injustices – and the power of this successful experience, thirty-year-old decided to take a new step by launching a creative investment. In 2023, he created an impact investment fund to finance health-related projects in disadvantaged areas. “We must go beyond the emergency and invest in long-term solutions,” he explained. This fund supports community initiatives such as telemedicine, the training of community caregivers and the creation of mobile clinics.
The purpose of this fund is clear: to enable these local residents to take control of their destiny by becoming agents of change themselves. “It is important that solutions come from the ground, from people who live and understand local realities. Only in this way can we create a lasting impact”he insisted.
In addition to these investment activities, El Badaoui has surrounded itself with strategic partners to raise the necessary funds. It collaborates with companies in the health sector, public institutions and local authorities to strengthen the effectiveness of its actions. These partnerships make it possible to carry out large projects, such as the financing of local health centers or listening points for the most vulnerable populations.
Building partnerships for lasting impact
For Abdelaali, the challenge is to build a community ecosystem where health is not limited to medical consultation, but also includes prevention, health education and scientific support. “We must rethink our health system and make it accessible to everyone. This requires smart investments and real collaboration between all stakeholders, public and private,” he insisted.
Banlieue Santé is now available worldwide in Morocco, Belgium, Senegal and recently in England and the United States. On this model other sectors are explored in Banlieue School, Banlieue Climat, Banlieue Sport and Banlieue Droit. His fight has been distinguished by many distinctions, including the European Prize 2020 and the prestigious Ashoka Fellow award in 2022.
Abdelaali El Badaoui remains committed to the idea of inclusion. For him, as long as the “invisibles of health” – these people left behind by the system – are not cared for, his work will not be finished. “We need to give those who don’t have something. Health must be a right for everyone, regardless of where they come from.” it ends.
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