Malaria accounts for more than a million deaths each year, of which over 80% occur in tropical Africa, where malaria is the leading cause of mortality in children under five years of age. Every minute, a child in Africa dies as a result of the disease which is both preventable and curable. Aside from young children, pregnant women are among the most affected by this disease and it can prove fatal if the women are HIV positive.
Project Mosquito Nets (PMN) provides long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and malaria prevention education to vulnerable women and children in Zambia. Since its inception in 2006, more than 16,000 mosquito bed nets have been distributed in Kenya and Zambia. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of malaria and higher school enrollment rates for the beneficiaries. Since one net can accommodate 2-3 people, this program has benefited more than 30,000 people. For more information, click here.
PMN complements Power of Love’s pediatric HIV/AIDS care and the micro loans programs in Zambia, so that families are able to prevent malaria, stay healthy, and the children can stay in school. Since co-infection rates for HIV and malaria are high, the direct beneficiaries are HIV positive children (most of them have been living with the virus from the time they were born and are being cared for by their grandmothers, single parents, or relatives), expectant and nursing mothers, people living with HIV/AIDS, and people who have TB.
Budget for Project Mosquito Nets
The cost of a single LLIN is approximately $5 per net. The total cost of 2000 nets along with education on prevention of malaria and proper use and maintenance of nets is approximately $10,000. A detailed and itemized cost of the total expenses can be provided upon request.
Future Plans
Power of Love hopes to be able to distribute an additional 2000 bed nets in Zambia in March and September of 2013. Your generous donations are greatly needed to facilitate these net distributions, helping to prevent malaria and saving the lives of children, underage pregnant mothers and women vulnerable to malaria. Malaria can be prevented and eradicated, one bed net at a time.