Africa Cup of Nations

Yvonne Chaka Chaka records ‘Hearts on Fire’ in support of malaria

Apr 24th, 2013 11:56 AM UTC
By Nealon DeVore

This World Malaria Day, the incredible Yvonne Chaka Chaka is supporting United Against Malaria and The Princess of Africa Foundation with a special download of the song Hearts on Fire. 

You might have seen her perform it when she closed out the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations here in Johannesburg back in February.  Yvonne has recorded this version with Denis Dowlut, Michael Abdul and Themba Mhinga.

World Malaria Day is an important moment to focus global attention on the scourge of malaria. This completely preventable and treatable disease is transmitted by the bites of a specific species of mosquito. Yet as our partners at United Against Malaria note, it continues to kill a child every 60 seconds and causes 655,000 deaths every year—with the vast majority of these occurring across Africa.

ONE is fighting this disease through our campaign for the full funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which finances medical treatment and prevention measures for malaria all over the world.

In addition to funding the fight, it is also essential to educate communities at high risk of exposure to malaria on how they can prevent it and seek treatment immediately if anyone in the family shows symptoms.  UAM is working with some of Africa’s biggest football stars to raise awareness about malaria, as well as celebrated artists like Yvonne Chaka Chaka to carry the message through music.

Show your support by buying Hearts on Fire on iTunes or Amazon.

And take one minute to sign our petition calling for world leaders to scale up their support for the Global Fund.

Africa Kicks Malaria: How football stars are outscoring malaria

Jan 18th, 2013 9:41 AM UTC
By Guest Blogger

Guest blog post from Malaria No More.

Last summer the Confederation of African Football endorsed United Against Malaria partnership – of which Malaria No More is a key member – as a premier social cause of the most-followed events in Africa: the 2013 Cup of Nations (AFCON) football tournament.

The most revered champions of Africa’s best loved sport talking about malaria during Africa’s most watched public events? A captive audience of 6.6 billion people, most of them living in malaria-endemic Africa? What could be more captivating!

The biggest names in African football and the top political leaders in Africa’s malaria fight signed onto the campaign, and lent their time to record public messages about malaria for their African audience.  These include five elite footballers and five African presidents, including football legends Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o, and the first-ever female African head of state, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. TV, radio ads, and billboards were created which feature the players and presidents, targeting policy-makers and decision makers about investments in malaria programs, as well promoting calls-to-action with simple steps to prevent and treat malaria.

Didier Drogba’s Malaria Prevention PSA

To ensure these malaria messages are heard by football fanatics continent-wide, 10 pan-African TV/radio stations, including the biggest radio station in Africa and the official football tournament channel, advertisements in over 10 countries, and 75 billboards in more than 13 countries are helping get the job done.

In addition to the tremendous media support, the campaign launched at the African Union Summit to include more African Heads of State, and a TV spot about the campaign aired during the AFCON Draw and East Africa CECAFA tournament. During the AFCON games, the campaign will be included during AFCON half-times (when football fans are already tuned into watch their favorite footballers), in AFCON sportscasters’ dialogue during televised games, and at the AFCON Final Game’s closing ceremony?

Football stars in malaria prevention billboards around Africa

For Africa’s social media users, a 2-minute quiz is available on the United Against Malaria Facebook page for the chance to win Drogba-autographed swag, like a football or a jersey.

Learn more about the campaign and be sure to follow the AFCON games live at www.supersport.com/live-video.

Confederation of African Football Endorses United Against Malaria

Feb 14th, 2012 2:31 PM UTC
By ONE Partners

David Kyne, campaign manager of United Against Malaria, explains how African football is taking a stand against malaria. ONE is a founding partner of United Against Malaria.

During the final week of the 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations, the continent’s premier football championship, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) committed its support to the fight against malaria by officially endorsing the United Against Malaria (UAM) campaign.

Although preventable and treatable, malaria continues to claim the life of one child every minute. Recognizing the powerful role football can play in educating and protecting fans from this deadly disease, CAF pledged to partner with UAM and use its reach and influence to save lives. This commitment will include distributing educational materials at future soccer tournaments and encouraging fellow football associations and players to use their voices and images in educational outreach.

During the tournament, several footballers helped raise awareness about malaria, delivering prevention and treatment messages in a new series of UAM television public service announcements that aired throughout Africa during the games.

To learn more, visit www.UnitedAgainstMalaria.org