Buy a book, save a life
Every 45 seconds, a child dies of malaria.
You might feel helpless in the face of such an overwhelming statistic. But there’s something you can do. It’s as easy as a few clicks of a mouse, cheaper than a movie date, and will pay you back many times over. Go to End Malaria Day and click on the big red Buy button to purchase your copy of End Malaria: Bold Innovation, Limitless Generosity, and the Opportunity to Save a Life.
End Malaria is two things: It’s a book about Doing Great Work, with contributions from more than sixty of the best and brightest experts on the subject. And it’s a lifesaver: $20 from the purchase of each book (100% of the Kindle price, 80% of the hard copy price) will send a malaria net to a family in need and support life-saving work in the battle against malaria. Every single copy sold will fight this killer.
End Malaria is joint project of Box of Crayons, The Domino Project, and Malaria No More, whose mission is to wipe out malaria by 2015. With the help of enough smart, generous people (like you!), it can be done.
Also, anyone that’s interested in Malaria Vaccine research in general should check out the malaria research PATH is doing.
Malaria Vaccine Initiative
Awesome organization with great people and a promising malaria vaccine candidate. I know, I work for them 🙂
Here is a fascinating take on malaria mosquito nets from someone who has otherwise impeccable liberal credentials, Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/opinion/23kristof.html
They are effective and affordable to the locals, but just not a priority. Why should it be our priority?
…it doesn’t have to be your priority…or Mr. Kristof’s priority…or that child’s parent’s priority. There are plenty of other people and organizations who actually care about those children who will willingly give of their time and resources to give those children a fighting chance. It’s a choice…not an obligation. Feel free to make excuses why you shouldn’t do anything. There are plenty of others who actually are willing to take that gamble.
“There are plenty of others who actually are willing to take that gamble.”
When the people of Africa are willing to take that gamble, give up their drinking and cell phones to buy their own $6 mosquito nets for their children and pay for their kid’s schooling then a solution to the cycle of despair there may be possible. Until that time, go ahead and give them just another band-aid false solution to the disease of the month or calamity of the month in Africa. A solution that will leave it no better off than the decades of other failed programs in the name of saving lives have.
For the next few years, can Americans focus on Americans? Help fix the United States and our children’s future. Give to local charities please.