Malaria Prevention Saves Lives

According to the World Health Organisation:

• Globally in 2023, there were an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597 000 malaria deaths in 83 countries.
• The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden.
• In 2023, the WHO African Region was home to 94% of malaria cases (246 million) and 95% (569 000) of malaria deaths.
• Children under 5 accounted for about 76% of all malaria deaths in the Region.

To avoid contracting malaria you must avoid by a mosquito bites. However, when you live in a poor community where the income is below $2 per day most people cannot afford to buy a mosquito net nor use other preventative methods. Sleeping under a mosquito net, remains as one of the top recommendations by the World Health Organisation to prevent malaria.

After a prolonged drought Zambia is now in the rainy season, which should continue until April. This is the time when malaria is most prevalent, and cases increase. Our ‘mosquito nets for schools’ programme continues to be effective and is helping to protect school children in remote areas of the Kazungula District.

In 2025 our aim is reach out to more areas where malaria is most prevalent and deemed to be ‘malaria hot spots’ by the Ministry of Health in Zambia.

Thank you to everyne who has donated to this vitial programme. We are appealing for more support - a mosquito nets costs only $10 and could save a child’s life!

Links:

• The Butterfly Tree Malaria Prevention Programme

In 2017 The Butterfly Tree pioneered a programme to help the fight against malaria entitled ‘Mosquito Nets for Schools.’ This was after learning that priority for the distribution of mosquito nets is offered to pregnant women and children under the age of five. Consequently, the majority of school children in rural areas of Zambia are not protected.

According to the National Malaria Elimination Centre for Disease Control ‘On average, there are an estimated 20,000 cases of malaria per day Zambia. And each day, on average, four Zambians die from the disease.’ An alarming statistic.

The Butterfly Tree donates mosquito nets to school children in rural areas the Kazungula District where malaria is most prevalent. We ensure that every child takes ownership of a mosquito net, and nets are also given to teachers.

Through our initiative more children have protection against malaria. Since donating 1,000 mosquito nets to Kauwe Rural Health Centre in January 2024 no case of malaria have been recorded.

Our most recent donation of 320 mosquito nets have been given to Bbugali Primary school in the same zone as Kauwe. With the rainy season imminent, these children will now have protection against malaria. 

Since 2015, 12 countries have been certified by the World Health Orgnisation as malaria-free. The Butterfly Tree is helping Zambia to be added to this list. Your donations are helping to reach this goal!

Links:

• The Butterfly Tree Malaria Prevention Programme