For
Immediate
Release



















































Contact:
Kellie
McDaniel

June
16,
2009




































































(800)
334‐7626,
ext.
6359


NetsforLife®
Commemorates
Day
of
the
African
Child

First
initiated
by
the
African
Union,
Day
of
the
African
Child
is
recognized

internationally
as
an
opportunity
to
take
measure
of
progress
toward
the
health,

education,
and
security
of
all
children
on
the
continent.


To
mark
June
16th,
2009,
the
eighteenth
anniversary
of
the
Day
of
the
African
Child,

Episcopal
Relief
&
Development’s
program
partnership,
NetsforLife®,
announces
its

continued
commitment
to
mobilize
over
30,000
volunteers
and
distribute
up
to
7

million
long‐lasting
insecticide‐treated
nets
in
17

malaria‐endemic
countries
in
sub‐
Saharan
Africa
over
the
next
five
years.


Supported
by
the
ExxonMobil
Foundation,
Standard
Chartered
Bank,
Coca‐Cola

Africa
Foundation,
Starr
International
Foundation,
White
Flowers
Foundation,
and

NGO
partner
Episcopal
Relief
&
Development,
NetsforLife®
implements
integrated

malaria
prevention
programming
through
a
vibrant
network
of
local
churches,
faith‐
based
organizations
and
NGOs.


Malaria
is
one
of
the
biggest
killers
in
sub‐Saharan
Africa,
with
a
staggering
human

and
economic
cost,
which
particularly
takes
a
toll
on
children.

One
child
dies
from

malaria
every
minute
in
Africa
and
it
is
estimated
that
less
than
5%
of
children
in

sub‐Saharan
Africa
currently
sleep
under
any
type
of
insecticide‐treated
net.

Transmitted
through
infected
mosquitoes,
malaria:



·







Infects
300
to
500
million
people
every
year

·







Kills
3,000
children
a
day
and
nearly
1
million
people
annually

The
most
common
cause
of
death
from
malaria
among
young
children
is
the
severe

anemia
that
results
from
repeated
infections.
Additionally,
infants
born
to
women

who
had
malaria
during
their
pregnancies
tend
to
be
of
low
birth
weight
or

premature,
both
of
which
decrease
their
chances
of
survival
during
their
first
years.


The
distribution
of
one
insecticide‐treated
net
to
a
child
can
protect
two
other

children
sleeping
under
that
same
net.

NetsforLife®
is
proud
to
say
that
2
million

nets
have
been
distributed
in
the
countries
where
we
work
and
of
those
distributed,

80%
were
delivered
to
children
under
five.


When
one
net
can
save
three
lives,
then
over
2.4
million
children
benefit
from

distributed
nets,
attributing
to
better
health
and
an
increase
in
school
attendance.


“The
NetsforLife®

partnership
strives
everyday
to
improve
the
health
and
lives
of

families
across
Africa
by
giving
them
the
information
and
tools
they
need
to
protect

themselves
from
malaria”
says
Shaun
Walsh,
Executive
Director,
NetsforLife®.
“On

the
Day
of
the
African
Child,
we
call
on
the
global
community
to
recognize
the
value

of
every
child,
the
resource
and
potential
of
each
life
saved,
and
the
need
to
fight

malaria
until
it
is
eliminated.”

To
find
out
more
about
NetsforLife®

or
to

make
a
contribution
to
help
eliminate

malaria,
please
donate
to
NetsforLife®
online
at
www.netsforlifeafrica.org,
or
call
1‐
800‐334‐7626,
ext.
6359.