More than 700,000 children in Africa die each year from malaria---a completely preventable illness. This disease, spread by mosquito bites, can be eradicated. It has been reported that 90 percent of malaria transmission can be reduced with insecticide-treated mosquito netting. The nets protect families from getting bitten by mosquitoes at night, when---between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.---mosquitoes are out in force. A net treated with insecticide offers twice as much protection as an untreated net and can even reduce mosquito numbers in entire villages.
Instructions
Provide Mosquito Netting to Prevent Malaria
1. There are several websites that collect money to buy, treat and distribute mosquito netting to a variety of African nations. Donations start at about $10 and can go as high as you wish. At NothingButNets.net, you can fill out an online form and enter the amount you want to donate.
2. The Boy Scouts of America has published a Tool Kit with tons of ideas for educating kids and your community about the dangers of mosquitoes and malaria in Africa. They suggest raising awareness and collecting charitable donations by setting up an information booth at a local museum. You can also do this at a park or church fair. Hand out fliers with statistics provided in the Tool Kit.
3. Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa is one of several organizations that need volunteers to go to Africa and actually put a mosquito net into a family's home, help a village install nets or assist with all of the work that goes into organizing these incredibly involved projects. For information on how you can become a volunteer here in the U.S. or in Africa, contact Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa (see Resources).
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