Erin Anderson of Malaria No More shares an incredible opportunity for ONE members to become spokespersons on malaria.
Malaria No More and ONE are looking for passionate individuals to apply to the third course of the Malaria Griots Project! Based on outstanding success in the first two courses, we are eager to start teaching another class of Malaria Griots how to be advocates in their communities and to help achieve the first great humanitarian victory of this century -– an end to malaria deaths.
Michael Gerson, Washington Post columnist and former speechwriter for George W. Bush, is live blogging his trip to Senegal with Malaria No More.
A malaria rapid test shown to us at the Hospital General de Grand Yoff
Arrived early this morning in Dakar, Senegal on a short trip with the good folks at Malaria No More. I’ve only been to Senegal once before, in 2005, but it is obvious how much as changed.
Our first briefing was with the USAID experts who implement the President’s Malaria Initiative, announced by the Bush administration in the run up to the 2005 Gleneagles G8. The PMI team reported that Senegal has seen a 30 percent decline in infant mortality from all causes between 2005 and 2008 –- and that one major reason has been progress against malaria.
Senegal is conducting this fight aggressively. With strong support from PMI and the Global Fund, Senegal was the first African country to introduce routine rapid tests, which make the diagnosis of malaria quicker (now taking about 10 minutes) and more accurate. It was the first African country to move toward the goal of universal bed net coverage, which it hopes to reach by the end of this year.
Defeating malaria –- one of the main killers of children in Africa -– is not a mystery. It requires the broad distribution and consistent use of insecticide treated bed nets, along with indoor residual spraying and treatment with effective combination drugs. It is a matter of will and resources.
Can’t wait to get out into the field over the next few days to see how PMI is being implemented.
High school student Anna Green is on a trip to Senegal with her father, former US Ambassador Mark Green, and Malaria No More. Follow the father and daughter duo as they travel through Senegal and visit US-funded programs that are helping to prevent malaria in our new series, The Green Files.
ANNA GREEN, 17, high school student
This morning, we went to the Ibrahima Thiaw Parcelles Assainies School and watched its Malaria No More (MNM) club in action. The students performed songs and skits all around basic malaria lessons, and asked for many, many photos. Their plan is to perform at other schools and hopefully encourage the creation of MNM clubs there as well.
We paid a visit to an area where a lot of people do not sleep under a net for various reasons. Some people say it’s too hot to sleep under, while others choose to only sleep under it during the rainy season. Some say they just don’t think it’s necessary because they have never slept under a net and have never had malaria before. Some can’t afford a net. Our large group of thirteen split into groups of four or five and paid house visits to families in the neighborhood. We asked if they had nets and some people showed us nets they slept under that had large holes, making them pointless. Some people did have nets and said they sometimes slept under it.
High school student Anna Green is on a trip to Senegal with her father, former US Ambassador Mark Green, and Malaria No More. Follow the father and daughter duo as they travel through Senegal and visit US-funded programs that are helping to prevent malaria in our new series, The Green Files.
ANNA GREEN, 17, high school student
As I packed for my week with the Malaria No More (MNM) team on our trip to Senegal, I couldn’t have been more excited. My past experiences in Africa have inspired me and made me grow as a person. Early in my high school career, I lived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, when my dad was serving as the US Ambassador there from 2007 to 08. During that time, I saw so much poverty and disease with the good people of Tanzania that it developed a sense of obligation within me. That’s part of why I’m on this trip. I want to make a change.
We arrived in Dakar early this morning after an overnight flight with such strong turbulence that even those of us who had taken sleeping aids hardly slept a wink. We landed before sunrise here, which with the time difference, was 1 a.m. our time. When we got to our (beautiful, on the beach, extremely scenic) hotel, I drank three cups of coffee to keep myself moving.
Our friends at Malaria No More posted a new video just in time for Mother’s Day. It looks at how the fight against malaria is critically connected to improving the lives of moms and newborns around the world.
As Malaria No More staffer Kate Campana says in the video, she wants exactly what all moms in Africa want: for our kids to go to school, grow up safe, and be anything that they want to be. That’s why we must work together to end malaria in Africa for good.
Check out the video below. And let us know what you think!
Things were really BUZZING around the Marietta Square on Sunday, April 25 as over 500 people joined Marietta First Baptist Church, Grammy award winning band Third Day, ONE, Malaria No More and Nothing But Nets at the first annual World Malaria Day event to raise awareness and money.
The day started early as over 60 volunteers began streaming in to set up for the day. The afternoon’s events started in the Family Life Center. Paul Howell, internationally recognized mosquito expert for the Malaria Research and Reference Reagent Resource Center (MR4) at the Centers for Disease Control, put together a fascinating look at mosquitoes and the use of bed nets in the developing world. Nets were hung over air mattresses as a “village at night” was created for people to experience. Kids were welcomed into the village and were encouraged to sleep under a bed net – well at least for a little while. The new Bobby Bailey video, “When the Night Comes,” played as a background loop for people to view as they experienced the night in our village. Paul also had several containers of mosquitoes he used to show people how the mosquitoes reacted to the chemicals on the bed nets.
The children’s area featured a rock climbing wall, hula hoops and the opportunity to learn more about malaria and its devastating effects through the use of word searches, maps and other fun games. Former Atlanta Hawks and Georgia Tech basketball standout, Ivano “Newby” Newbill, led everyone in a basketball contest and a free throw contest. We had some pretty good shooters on the court! Star, the mascot for the Atlanta Dream (Atlanta’s professional women’s basketball team) was on the court helping Newby with all those great shooters.
At 4:30, we moved the activities to the Sanctuary where music newcomer Scott England opened the musical portion of the event. Scott performed an awesome, inspiring set for us. By the way, not only is Scott a talented musician, he’s a really great guy! I always feel a little bad for the guy/band who has the challenge of opening an event. Especially when you’re opening for local heroes Third Day! Third Day took the stage to a standing ovation, and, honestly, people didn’t sit down for their entire set. I had not ever met the members of Third Day, but what great guys – knowledgeable, passionate and just nice men. Their music is inspirational and so is their attitude. They played a fantastic set of four songs for us. But, I think the crowd would have stayed for hours if Third Day could have stayed and played!
After the music, Third Day members stayed, talked with fans and signed autographs. Mac Powell, the lead singer, took the opportunity to spend some time at our mosquito exhibit, learning and asking some really good questions about malaria.
The good news and bottom line: At last count, we successfully raised almost $9,000 including a matching gift from the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. (www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org). That’s at least 900 nets – nets that will save lives! More good news, donations are still coming in!
Special thanks to Marietta First Baptist Pastor Bill Ross, music minister Paul Hill, children’s minister Lauren Waggoner and all the church staff, as well as church members Christina and Paul Howell, Karla Jacobs, Debbie Schulte, and so many others who made this event such a success.
This year for World Malaria Day in the Twin Cities we organized a picnic under bed nets. It was a great day to spend in the park while raising awareness about malaria and the impact an individual’s voice can make. Despite the heavy winds practically blowing the bed nets away, we had intimate discussions on the disease and its impact in developing countries.
At our ONE event, we promoted Malaria No More’s TEN campaign to raise awareness that only $10 buys a bed net that can protect a family from malaria. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to see an actual bed net – one of the most effective prevention tools in the fight against malaria. We also partnered with World Vision to provide attendees with postcards to mail to their representatives, in an effort to make them aware that they, as constituents, care about solving the global problem of malaria.
Our members enjoyed learning about malaria and had a great day in the park! I was excited to see people from so many different ages and walks of life participate and show the initiative to help end malaria deaths.
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
