The Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) nurtures and invests in talented, emerging sub-Saharan African health researchers at the most vulnerable points in their career. Our vision is a growing community of African researchers who deliver excellent research that benefits patients and populations across the continent and globally. What we do Achieving better health demands more health research with the potential for greater impact on healthcare policies and practice. We need to develop a new generation of leading African researchers – working in Africa on Africa’s health challenges – and we need to do this urgently. AREF Research Development Fellowships, awarded through competition, provide 3- to 9-month placements in centres of research excellence in the UK, the rest of Europe and Africa. AREF Essential Grant Writing Skills Workshops address these deficiencies through training programmes, facilitated by world-class research experts and experienced research managers, all with extensive experience in writing successful grants, serving on or managing grant review panels and developing research leadership. In supporting AREF, together we will improve health and save lives in Africa and around the world.