How are the Union for Reform Judaism and NFTY saving lives through the Nothing but Nets campaign?
Michelle Cravez is a senior at Killian Senior High in
Malaria causes nearly 1.5 million deaths a year and infects almost 500 million people worldwide. Ninety percent of the deaths caused by malaria occur in Africa where the disease is a leading cause of death for children. These big numbers are paired with big problems. And yet, just one small creature, the mosquito, is the source. The Union for Reform Judaism has joined with the Nothing but Nets grassroots campaign in an initiative to fight malaria. The campaign, inspired by Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly, is now supported by NFTY as partners of the Union. Reform Jews from across North America are raising money to buy mosquito nets for families in Africa. The fact is that with nets malaria is avoidable and much easier to stop than once thought. Our goal is to provide 50,000 nets to help prevent the spread of the disease and save lives.
- Why are we donating money for nets and not for actual vaccinations?
Currently, there is no consistent, effective malaria vaccine because plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria, goes through several changes and often becomes resistant to the drugs used to treat it. Donating bed nets, therefore, is so important because they provide one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the disease. Net donation is one of the easiest ways to take a true stance on combating malaria and the sooner we can help, the better.
- What exactly is malaria and what are its effects?
Malaria is spread by mosquitoes, which carry a certain blood
parasite known as plasmodium. The numbers are scary. As noted above, more that
500 million people a year contract the disease and more than 1 million die
annually from it. Even more shocking is the fact that every 30 seconds, someone
contracts the disease. Infected humans experience flu-like symptoms that can
result in coma and death.
The effects of malaria are devastating, not only because of the mental and
physical pain and suffering of the victims and their families, but also because
of the economic burden put on the countries. According to the Nothing but Nets
site, “Malaria accounts for up to half of all hospital admissions and
outpatient visits in
Only female mosquitoes can actually transmit the disease. The good news is that
malaria can be both prevented and treated. Artemisinin-based combination
therapies (ACTs) are the most effective drugs available for treating malaria.
In order to directly help the people who need them, less expensive ACT’s need
to be developed, along with new strategies to distribute them.
- Send a net. Save a life.
It really can be that simple. One hundred percent of every $10 donation to Nothing but Nets goes to the purchase and distribution of nets, as well as to education about the proper use of an insecticide bed net. These nets kill the mosquitoes once they land on the net itself, preventing them from biting in the middle of the night, and stopping them from finding their next victim. Scientists suggest that bed nets can help reduce malaria transmission by nearly 50 percent. We all want to be, “the change that you wish to see in the world,” but sometimes we just don’t know how to take the first step. This may just be that step for many of us; for others, it is another stride toward making a difference.
- Learn more and spread the word
If you are interested in learning more about the Nothing but Nets campaign, I strongly encourage you to contact me. We can continue to save lives by spreading the word, involving synagogues, individual TYG’s and other youth programs.