Following the White House’s most recent budget proposal, which would cut U.S. funding to foreign assistance programs and UN agencies by 24%, Nothing But Nets champions will meet with their members of Congress to help ensure the U.S. retains its historic leadership in the fight against malaria.
WASHINGTON (PRWEB) March 26, 2019
This week, the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign brings together more than 200 champions – from youth leaders to seasoned professionals and celebrity champions – from over 34 states for its annual Leadership Summit, a three-day event to train and mobilize the next generation of grassroots leaders in the fight against malaria. The Summit culminates on Capitol Hill, where champions will urge policymakers to support U.S. funding for global malaria programs.
Following the White House’s most recent budget proposal, which would cut U.S. funding to foreign assistance programs and UN agencies by 24%, these champions will meet with their members of Congress to help ensure the U.S. retains its historic leadership in the fight against malaria, advocate for a full replenishment of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria later this year and increased funding for the President’s Malaria Initiative, and maintain a strong relationship with the UN. While remarkable progress has been made against malaria, the 2018 World Malaria Report warns that more resources are needed and it’s time to step up the fight in order to end malaria for good.
During the summit, champions will learn the necessary leadership skills and knowledge to help build awareness about malaria and how to talk with their elected leaders about the importance of funding for the UN, the President’s Malaria Initiative, and The Global Fund.
UK television broadcaster and malaria survivor Charlie Webster and Haitian-American singer, songwriter, and activist Phyllisia Ross are among the speakers who aim to inspire Nothing But Nets champions to use their voices in their communities to help ignite progress against this deadly disease.
Summit participants will hear from additional speakers including:
- Dr. Rory Nefdt, Chief of Child and Community Health, UNICEF
- Chris Collins, President, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
- Dr. Rick Steketee, Deputy U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator, President’s Malaria Initiative
- Dr. Michelle Chang, Director of Malaria Zero, Medical Epidemiologist of the Malaria Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Samuel Darguin, Coordinator for Haitian American Caucus
- Thu Thien Do, Associate Director, Strategic Measurement of Access, Novartis Social Business
- Diderot Musset, General Manager, Surtab
- Michael Scott Peters, UN Youth Observer to the United Nations
- Manyang Reath Kher, Founder and CEO, 734 Coffee, Humanity Helping Sudan Project
- Soukeyna Diouf, Model, Global Health Champion
- Vania Andre, Publisher, Haitian Times
- Kathy Calvin, President and CEO, United Nations Foundation
- Peter Yeo, Senior Vice President, UNF and President, Better World Campaign
- Margaret Reilly McDonnell, Executive Director, Nothing But Nets, UNF
Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. Nothing But Nets is the world’s largest grassroots campaign fighting this disease caused by a single mosquito bite. The campaign has raised $70 million and delivered over 13 million nets and other malaria interventions and treatment through its UN partners to protect refugees and vulnerable families. Since 2000, there has been incredible progress made to defeat the disease – more than 7 million lives have been saved, and child mortality rates have decreased by 71% in sub-Saharan Africa.
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About Nothing But Nets
Nothing But Nets is the world’s largest grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a disease which claims the life of a child every two minutes. Inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006. Nothing But Nets has raised over $70 million to help deliver more than 13 million bed nets and other crucial malaria interventions to families. In addition to raising funds for UN partners, Nothing But Nets raises awareness and voices to advocate for critical malaria funding for the UN, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as well as collaborates with WHO, PAHO, and other crucial malaria investment initiatives to work toward malaria elimination in Hispaniola and the Americas region. Visit NothingButNets.Net to join us!
About The United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation acts as a strategic partner to help the United Nations mobilize the ideas, people, and resources it needs to drive global progress and tackle urgent challenges. We focus on issues at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, build initiatives across sectors to solve problems at scale, and engage citizens who seek action. Founded in 1998 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner, the UN Foundation works with philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual partners. Learn more at: http://www.unfoundation.org.