Every 60 seconds, a child dies from malaria. This isn’t a statistic – this is reality for thousands of children in sub-Saharan Africa.
The United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign has been working since 2006 to change this reality. Together with our UN partners, we’ve delivered more than 7 million bed nets to 29 African countries – more than 1 million of those nets went to protecting refugee populations throughout sub-Saharan Africa. to make this happen.
And we’re making great progress – over the last decade, the number of children dying from malaria has been reduced by half.
In honor of World Malaria Day today, the Nothing But Nets campaign launched a nationwide challenge to ask Americans to “Compete to Beat Malaria.” This month-long challenge invites partners, communities, schools, and friends and families to raise awareness, funds, and voices to fight malaria. Our goal is to send 25,000 bed nets where they’re needed most.
Across the country, kids and their families have thought of creative ways to raise money to send nets.
- ● Sixth-grade students from Bleyl Middle School in Houston, Texas sold tickets for students to‘pie’ their assistant principal.
- ● Michael Krebs Hesse from Pearland, Texas is making and selling bracelets out of parachutecord.
- ● Students at Jack Jackter Intermediate School in Colchester, Connecticut created art collagesand note cards to raise money for nets.
- ● Former professional soccer player, Jared Montz, has organized a nationwide juggle-a-thonwith hundreds of soccer fans and clubs.
These are just a few examples of the many ways people are getting involved. Help us send nets and save lives from malaria. It costs just $10 to purchase and deliver an insecticide-treated bed net, provide education on its proper use, and provide other ways to reduce malaria that can prevent this deadly disease.
We are all one team in the fight against malaria. Send a net. Save a life.