Malaria No More (MNMUK) is a global charity aiming to end malaria – a disease that roughly half of the world’s population is at risk of contracting. The groups most susceptible to getting this disease are children under five and expectant mothers. Poorer communities also find themselves being hit harder by the disease, which negatively impacts children’s school attendance and adults attending work.

MNMUK believes that by working to increase government spending on ways to speed up the delivery of malaria prevention and treatment tools and simultaneously conveying their message to a broad population, the incidence of the disease will reduce. MNMUK’s hope is that mortality and incidence rates will decrease by 90% by 2030; in its eyes, this is the first step forward in eradicating the disease in the next several decades.

MNMUK Progress to End Malaria

One key MNMUK project is its global Zero Malaria campaign. The effects of the Zero Malaria campaign speak for themselves: 23 countries have launched the campaign so far and many more are on the cusp of joining. Politically, the charity was able to organize official parliamentary coalitions across Uganda and Tanzania and religious leaders have partaken in a march through Lusaka in Zambia to promote the Zero Malaria campaign.

MNMUK has also been able to support the African Union Commission in creating the Conversation Guide for Youth in Africa to encourage more young people to participate in the malaria response. The guide is helping young people engage in malaria policy dialogue and advocacy.

David Beckham and MNMUK

MNMUK decided to enlist one of the most famous faces worldwide to champion its cause to end malaria– David Beckham. Working with cutting-edge video technology, the charity had survivors of the disease speak through David Beckham’s face in nine different languages. Because of this, the campaign made the information accessible to more people. In this way, the David Beckham video enabled some of the most at-risk individuals to project their voices into society. Moreover, the video reached hundreds of millions of people and scooped up a CogX award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Good Use of AI (a concept in videography).

Accompanying the film was a behind-the-scenes montage featuring experts on malaria who are playing a crucial role in working to end malaria. Beckham has worked with MNMUK since 2009 and says the struggle against malaria is something that means a lot to him because the disease is especially fatal to children. Beckham has also commented on his enjoyment of meeting and working with the inspirational people involved in the charity.

– Claire Dickson
Photo: Flickr