United Against Malaria (unitedagainstmalaria.org) has been hosting events and working with footballers, celebrities and healthy advocacy organizations in the buildup to World Malaria Day on April 25th.
The goal of UAM is to galvanize partners throughout the world to raise awareness and renew worldwide commitment to ending malaria (which kills a child every 30 seconds and nearly one million people a year).
Dwayne De Rosario, captain of Toronto FC and an Ambassador for Nothing But Nets (www.nothingbutnets.net) is actively involved and firmly believes in the message the all the groups partnering with UAM is delivering. “I would desperately encourage people to get involved and to help in any way to help spread the awareness. For only $10 you can save up to five peoples’ lives,” he says.
“As a father of three, it’s very emotional for me. I can’t believe it’s been going on so long (the suffering from malaria) it’s devastating…but it is curable,” says the Canadian International. You see kids suffer, which is the worst part. The kids motivate me to want to do it…you see the smile on their face when they get a bednet, it’s great to help out and to help encourage people to get involved.”
By organizing Campus Sleep Outs, venturing to Capitol Hill to talk with U.S. leaders to call on them to take bold steps to help end malaria related deaths by 2015 and working with groups such as MLS W.O.R.K.S., United Against Malariai aims to help educate people on how to help.
Mark Green, Managing Director of the Malaria Policy Center, which is a project of Malaria No More (www.malarianomore.org) has been actively involved in the efforts to end malaria and is excited that the 2010 World Cup will help present South Africa to the world. “You really have a sense that a lot of things are coming together and will bring world awareness to the challenges in Africa with malaria,” he says. “My wife and I taught in Kenya 20 years ago and we lost friends and students to malaria. Africa cannot fulfill her potential until we beat the disease. It is treatable and is preventable.”
For more information on the events surrounding World Malaria Day and how to get involved…go to www.unitedagainstmalaria.org.
