Fight Malaria: Social Investment Spotlight
Many have asked us at AngelPoints to provide an example of a great social investment. An investment that can energize the hearts and minds of employees as well as provide a clear path to making a difference. Many more have asked how to make a strong international social investment. One clear example of such a strong social investment is malaria.
Although malaria is completely treatable and preventable...
- Malaria is the number one killer of children in Africa.
- 1 million children are killed each year -- 3,000 each day -- one every 30 seconds.
The solution: For $10, an employee can provide a life-saving bed net to protect a child from malaria.
Malaria No More's solutions are achievable, scalable and, importantly, empowering both collectively to a corporation and individually to corporate employees.
How can corporations engage employees in the fight against malaria?
The first step in engaging employees has to be building awareness of the huge global crisis of malaria among employees. Bill Gates recently called malaria "the worst thing on the planet." Yet most people simply don't know that it kills 3000 children a day or that it is completely preventable or that a $10 bed net can save more than one child.
Some great ways to build initial awareness include:
1) Highlighting the fight against malaria in your company newsletter (www.malarianomore.org)
2) Sending an email to all company volunteers, letting them know about the scourge of malaria and how they can help fight it ($10 for a bednet)
3) Place a link to Malaria No More on your web portal for all volunteers to see.
Any other brainstorms?
Malaria isn't a scientific challenge or even a financial challenge, it's really a branding challenge. It's truly amazing that despite the fact that Malaria kills more people every month than almost any other preventable disease, very few people talk about it and act. Imagine if every month schools around the country collapsed, killing 90,000 children, and no one really noticed. Each month, Malaria kills that many children and yet when was the last time Malaria came up at your dinner table?
I ask each of our clients and everyone possible to raise awareness about this disease. Visit MNM's website to learn more and then spread the word. If you want us to help you design an initiative for your company, just ask.
If you're compelled to give $10 or more now, click here.
Thank you,
Andy, CEO, AngelPoints
In addition to the ideas above:
- Take a look at what people are doing around the world to raise awareness. From "Dancing to Save Lives" to Walking for Malaria, there's bound to be some fun ideas you can incorporate into your company's philanthropic program.
- Plan ahead and connect with Malaria No More's Network Memberssuch as the American Red Cross, World Swim Against Malaria, Madness Against Malaria and many more. I'm excited to start planning for Madness against Malaria this March!
- Add Malaria as a cause to your AngelPoints EVS. Every employee that visits your AngelPoints' volunteer website is prompted to fill out their volunteer profile where they indicate causes they care about and skills they possess among many other things. To effectively target the right audience for any events related to Malaria, simply send an email with the cause "Malaria" selected.
- Create a flexible opportunity, add a "what's happening" message or include information about Malaria on your login or home page in your AngelPoints Volunteer Website about Malaria.
- Add a sentence about Malaria to your email signature, you'll be surprised how many people the message reaches. Most of our employees have a message "AngelPoints is taking a stand against Malaria. Donate $10.00 and save a life" linked to a site where they can make a donation.
These are just a few ways we have implemented to raise the awareness about Malaria :)
Malaria is a disease of the blood that is caused by a parasite transmitted from person to person by certain types of mosquitoes. Malaria symptoms, which appear about 9 to 14 days after the infectious mosquito bite, include fever, headache, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms. If drugs are not available for treatment or if the parasites are resistant to them, the infection can lead to coma, severe life-threatening anemia, and death by infecting and destroying red blood cells and by clogging the capillaries that carry blood to the brain (cerebral malaria) or other vital organs. Worldwide, malaria causes around 350 to 500 million illnesses and more than one million deaths annually.
Malaria is particularly devastating in Africa, where it kills an African child every 30 seconds. Many children who survive an episode of severe malaria may suffer from learning impairments or brain damage. Pregnant women and their unborn children are also particularly vulnerable to malaria, which, during pregnancy, is a major cause of mortality, low birth weight and maternal anemia. And while we know malaria is preventable, the lack of resources, coupled with a climate very hospitable to the deadliest strain of malaria, has made the disease a leading cause of death among African children. two children
In addition to the human toll malaria exacts, the economic and social impacts are also devastating: Sick children miss school, tourism suffers, and foreign investment is stifled. Annual economic loss in Africa due to malaria is estimated to be $12 billion, representing a crippling 1.3 percent annual loss in GDP growth in endemic countries. Malaria becomes a self-perpetuating problem, where the disease prevents the human and economic capital necessary to bring the disease under control. Moreover, malaria disproportionately affects the rural poor who can neither afford a bed net for prevention, nor access appropriate treatment when they fall sick.
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This opportunity provides a very compelling return on investment. Saving a life or two for as little as $10 can't be beat. Given the low cost and high return, this is well within reach of every employee at our companies.