Today marks World Malaria Day. The World Health Organisation in partnership with Roll Back Malaria is promoting a grassroots campaign called ‘Zero malaria starts with me.‘
The Butterfly Tree has been providing support to Zambia for malaria prevention since 2007, offering interventions that are proving to reduce the number of cases of malaria and helping to save lives.
With the current COVID-19 global pandemic malaria must not be overlooked. In 2018 there were an estimated 228 million cases of malaria and 405,000 deaths, down from 416,000 in 2017, showing that interventions are working. Sadly, 67% of deaths were children under the age of five.
CHILDREN UNDER FIVE ARE AT MOST RISK OF CONTRACTING MALARIA
Thanks to the tremendous support we have received The Butterfly Tree now has malaria prevention programmes in Mukuni, Nyawa, Sekute and Moomba Chiefdoms. We provide universal coverage with the use on mosquito nets, a safe insecticidal coating, which is painted inside dwellings and larvicide. The latter when placed in ponds and streams prevents larva from developing into mosquitos.
HOUSES PAINTED INSIDE WITH SAFE INSECTICIDAL COATING
Our ‘mosquito nets for schools‘ programme is helping to provide protection for children above five years, as this age group rarely get protected. Every pupils and teacher is given a mosquito net and monitoring takes place. To date we have donated nets to thousands of children at River View, Sikaunzwe, Kauwe, Kamwi, Chuunga and Mambova Schools. We are very grateful to The Hilary and Neil Murphy Charitable Foundation, GOAC, Inner Wheel Clubs and most recently Royal Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon Rotary Clubs.
MAMBOVA SCHOOL – SEKUTE CHIEFDOM
We are delighted to announce that the International Service Committee Chairman for Inner Wheel Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland, for the the second year running, is supporting malaria prevention, in partnership with The Butterfly Tree and Medical Film Aids. This will considerably help us to expand our vital work in Zambia.
Tomorrow we are taking part in the 2.6 Challenge to raise funds for all of our projects, including malaria prevention. Details can be found on this link. Thank you to everyone who has offered to do a challenge and to those who have sent in donations. Any support will be greatly appreciated!
