We're Saving Lives
More than 25 million people have benefited from NetsforLife® to date.
Making a Difference in the Fight Against Malaria
NetsforLife® has successfully met annual programmatic goals consistently from 2006 to 2011, including a 5-year 7-million net distribution target over a year ahead of schedule.
Having distributed a total of 8.5 million nets, since the beginning of the program, and changed national net distribution policy in 5 countries presents NetsforLife® with a unique opportunity to promote the positive impact on malaria prevention the program has made across 17 sub-Sahara African countries. Our successes also present us with an opportunity to challenge donors, small and large, to continue to invest in malaria and join us in the fight to sustain gains in malaria prevention.
Below are some examples of the impact NetsforLife® has been able to achieve.
• Since 2006, NetsforLife® has saved the lives of 103,780 children under 5.
• NetsforLife® saved the lives of 17,407 children under 5 in 2011 alone.
• Malaria-related deaths have been reduced by 45% in NetsforLife® program areas.
• 85 % of households have at least 2 LLINs in communities managed by NetsforLife®.
• 4 out of 10 people knew the cause of malaria in 2006 and in 2011 9 out of 10 know the cause.
Saving Lives
“Before NetsforLife® came to this area, community members used to wake me up in the middle of the night at least four times every month to baptize and anoint a sick child—only to bury him or her the next day. Since the program started, such midnight calls have ceased … NetsforLife® is saving lives.”
– Fr. James Okwonga | Mugarusya Parish, Uganda
Creating Lasting Change in Africa
In addition to the distribution of nets, a main component of the initiative is education about malaria transmission and prevention. Communities learn about the importance of using mosquito nets and receive detailed knowledge about proper net use and maintenance.
NetsforLife® works in communities underserved by health facilities, so a critical piece of the monitoring and evaluation program includes training people to collect data and assess the impact of the programs on communities.
Without the buy-in of communities in volunteering, implementation, and follow-up, NetsforLife® could not celebrate its many successes. The first step to malaria prevention is raising awareness and mobilizing communities to act. NetsforLife® works to instill a “net culture”. In this way, NetsforLife® is helping to ensure sustainability of malaria prevention and net-seeking behavior.
By building the capacity of the local partners through training and education to implement development strategy and activities based on community input, and measurable global standards, we have added to the local pool of knowledge on malaria and other health messaging (such as water/sanitation, maternal health, and HIV/Aids).
This presentation is an in-depth examination of the NetsforLife program, its unique methodology and commitment to accurately monitoring and evaluating its unprecedented success.
