As a United Nations accredited non-governmental organization with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, FAWCO has an obligation to work for a better world and to help achieve the 8 Millennium Development Goals. We have long realized that to be effective and make a significant impact on the MDGs, it would be best to focus mainly on one MDG. Malaria seemed to be the logical choice, since it is an attainable goal and one that FAWCO could easily influence. Malaria is a preventable tragedy that impacts so many other problems – health, child mortality, poverty and hunger, primary school education, maternal health, the environment - probably 7 of the 8 MDGs.
On March 18, 2005 the delegates to the FAWCO conference in Birmingham, England were asked if they would like to pull together on one MDG project – so that together we could try to make - not a small difference - but a big impact. They responded with an enthusiastic yes to tackling malaria prevention together! Since its founding in 1931, FAWCO has worked for the well being of children - so it is appropriate that for our first joint global effort we focus on malaria – the single largest killer of children in the world.
At the 2005 FAWCO Conference in Birmingham , the delegates committed to take on one of the world’s great problems and unanimously agreed to: “take up the global challenge for reducing poverty and improving lives by promoting and supporting the Millennium Development Goals. More specifically, they resolved to address the tragedy of malaria by encouraging FAWCO's members to make a significant commitment to worldwide malaria prevention." Over $100,000 was raised the first year for the purchase of insecticide treated bed nets.
From May 2006 to May 2007, FAWCO's Global Concerns Fund continued this focus on malaria eradication raising over $40,000 for integrated malaria prevention.
At the FAWCO biennial Conference in Lyon in 2007 , the delegates once again re-affirmed this commitment to malaria eradication by unanimous vote of FAWCO’s Resolutions and Recommendations with a continued commitment; "encouraging our members to focus on malaria, the single largest killer of children". With this resolution, fund raising and awareness raising will continue at least up until the 2009 FAWCO Conference.
Beginning in 2005, FAWCO partnered with the Swiss Foundation BioVision in support of their integrated approach to malaria prevention in pilot projects in Africa. FAWCO’s partnership with BioVision was enthusiastically supported by member organizations and individuals and as a result, thousands of children have lived to see their 5th birthday and beyond.
In total, FAWCO distributed $165,885 for the purchase of insecticide treated bed nets and integrated malaria prevention. Additionally, FAWCO applied for and received a $100,000 grant from the Hilton Foundation that was paid directly to our partner Biovision in 2008, for a grand total of $265,885.
In the last few decades we have seen a dramatic growth in chemical manufacturing and other human activities that result in the release of toxic pollutants into the environment. Some of these activities pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Of particular importance in pests and vector control is...
NetWorks Contributions & Net Distributions
May, 2006
Malindi – 4,000 LLITNs
4,000 LLITNs - Vestergaard Frandsen PermaNets have been purchased for $24,000 (nets $5, plus average of $1 for transport, installment, education and control). The effectiveness of the LLITNs will be enhanced by the organized coordination and the involvement of the local population, the removal of mosquito breeding grounds and...
A Partner for NetWorks
The NetWorks mandate adopted at the FAWCO 2005 Birmingham Conference was based on the desire to supply insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) as the most cost- efficient method for the prevention of malaria. We wanted a project with which we could closely identify and that addressed the concerns of FAWCO’s Global...
NetWorks - FAWCO Takes Up the MDG Challenge
At the 2005 FAWCO Conference in Birmingham there was much excitement as the delegates committed to take on one of the world’s great problems and unanimously agreed to:
“take up the global challenge for reducing poverty and improving lives by promoting and supporting the Millennium Development Goals. More specifically, they resolved to address...
Malaria: General Description
Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It was once thought that the disease came from fetid marshes, hence the name mal aria, ((bad air). In 1880, scientists discovered the real cause of malaria, a one-cell parasite called plasmodium. Later they discovered that the parasite is transmitted from person to person through the bite of...