2010 Botswana Malaria Campaign

This year's campaign kicks off 19-23rd July in Botswana northwest region called Parakarungu village. My students will travel 1400kms to do the campaign in that village. We are distributing 500 treated bednets at cost of U$5000. Thanks to the Alexandar Dawson school for co-sponsoring the acquisition of nets.

More updates coming.....

2010 Botswana Annual campaign

Gaborone Secondary School again goes to the remotest village in Botswana northwest at village called Parakarungu. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parakarungu

The campaign will take place July 22-23, 2010. More photos, short videos coming your way on this website. Follow us through..... Many thanks to the long time friends, Alexandar Dawson School from Colorado who have been campaigning with us since 2007 for offering financial support towards the 2010 acquisition of treated nets.

more updates coming!

Malaria Campaign in Kenya

I am posting the following information for Ms Ann Nganga. Ann is the ENO Program coordinator for Kenya and new to SLAM. I think you will find her posting very informative. Ann, welcome to the SLAM family!
-Bill Meyers

Malaria Campaign in Kenya


Our campaign is in central Kenya in Makuyu area this forms part of the only plains in central Kenya. This place is very flat and warm, thus very conducive for mosquito breeding. The campaign is sponsored by the population service international(PSI). It is called mosquito out and us in.
In our local language that is Kiswahili we say MBU NJE SISI NDANI. That means we are in, under the protection of the mosquito treated nets and the mosquitoes are out.

It was discovered that even after the people are given the nets they do not use them but use all sorts of excuses to avoid the nets. Thus in this programme the students are trained on ways of using the nets and explanations to give to the population after educating them.

After educating the group the children are given each ten households. The students walks
around in twos, checking if their clients are using the nets. This is done by the school scouts and as they move around speaking with their peers they can physically check if the nets are properly hanged or well fixed waiting for their use at night.
Reasons for this child approach is that:



• Children are more frank than adult thus truth is likely to come out.
• Kids can comfortably check on their friends bedrooms with ease.
• Kids will easily give out the excuses the adults will be hiding.
• In their visits they can demonstrate how to hang up the nets in all types of houses and beds.
No one can dismiss the kids away when they are educating the adults as adults would be dismissed by their peers.
The kids are very serious on what they believe and this is very likely to influence their parents, neighbors and friends.

The reasons given for not using the nets are;

• The treated nets are poisonous.

• It is too warm to sleep under the net.

• The people do not know how to hang the nets.

• Nets are too big for some beds

• Others sleep on the floor thus not possible to hang the net.

• One feels like there is less air while under the net.

RESPONSES TO THE ABOVE REASONS

• The treated nets are poisonous.
Ans There could be some mild chemicals that is true, but one do not directly get them in ones system. If you get malaria you will take very strong drug which may even have very serious side effect. Which chemical is better?

• It is too warm to sleep under the net.

Ans Warm ?could be but if one gets malaria the effects would be worse compared with the short discomfort which can be controlled by having light beddings

• The people do not know how to hang the nets.

Ans The kids demonstrate as in the photos using pegs, short posts or rafters, nails on the wall or the roofing since the nets have got nine strings for easy hanging

• Nets are too big for some beds
Ans Adjust the strings to the desired height and width.
• Others sleep on the floor thus not possible to hang the net.
The kids demonstrate as in the photos using pegs, short posts or rafters, nails on the wall or the roofing since the nets have got nine strings for easy hanging


• One feels like there is less air while under the net.

That could be an assumption but once you get used to the net you forget. Could. If one gets malaria the effects would be worse compared with the short discomfort which can be controlled.

Lastly the pupil gets down to the cost that one incurs in she /he gets malaria. Starts with the pupils


One may not attend school for a week or more days 3 EUROS PER DAY 15-20
Malaria tabs goes for 3-5 EUROS
The transport to the hospital 3-5
The transport for the parent guardian accompanying 3-5
The money he would have earned that day 3-5
The cost of lunch and snack on the way 6-10
Special food due to nausea and other discomforts 6-10
Five days salary for the baby sitter(nursing) 15-20

Total 57-80 EUROS


The cost of a treated mosquito net which
can be used for five years is 0.5 EUROS

There is also the discomfort which cannot get a value
And damaging of the liver and death is also a possibility.
Then the kids ask their audience if the risk is worth.


The project will take one year as the pupils do a followup to their households.
Evaluation is done monthly as the kids through their teachers forward their monthly forms with two visits per month