Today, Dawes announced it has released an exclusive track for fans who donate to the United Nations Foundations’ Nothing But Nets campaign, to help save lives from malaria. Fans who donate at NothingButNets.net/Dawes will receive a free download of Dawes covering The Waterboys’ “Fisherman’s Blues.” The promotion will run for 60 days.
Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. Nothing But Nets works closely with its UN partners across sub-Saharan Africa to ensure vulnerable populations including children, refugees, and families displaced by conflict are protected from this deadly disease. It only costs $10 to purchase and deliver a life-saving bed net and provide education on its proper use.
In 2013, Dawes traveled with Nothing But Nets to Gihembe Refugee Camp in Rwanda and saw the devastating impact of malaria firsthand. They visited children in the health clinic, sang and danced with families, delivered bed nets and personally hung them in homes.
“In Rwanda, we met so many families impacted by malaria,” said Taylor Goldsmith, lead singer of Dawes. “All it takes to protect a child is a simple bed net. Anyone can help us save a life.”
Today, there are tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence in Burundi and Democratic Republic of the Congo, seeking shelter in Rwanda. They are weak from their journey and more vulnerable to malaria. Nothing But Nets is working to send life-saving nets and other comprehensive malaria interventions and treatment to the region to help protect these refugees.
“After all refugees have endured and survived, they should not have to fear a mosquito bite,” said Margaret Reilly McDonnell, director of Nothing But Nets. “Dawes has supported our work for many years and we’re grateful for their efforts to help us raise awareness and save lives.”
Today, there are more than 50 million refugees and families displaced by violence around the world – and 60 percent of them live in areas where malaria is transmitted. Malaria is a major threat to refugees – it is a leading cause of illness and death in many African countries, including those where Nothing But Nets and its UN partners work. Last year, the campaign launched The Million Nets Pledge to protect refugee families from malaria with one million nets by 2016. This ambitious two-year goal aims to raise $10 million to protect vulnerable people fleeing violence, particularly in Central Africa.
Now in its tenth year, the Nothing But Nets campaign boasts hundreds of thousands of supporters – from students to athletes to entertainers – who all help to protect families on another continent from the threat of malaria. Fans can donate at NothingButNets.net/Dawes to receive their free cover and to learn more about the fight against malaria.
# # #
Contact
Rachel Henderson
Communications Manager, Nothing But Nets
M: 570.259.2205
About Nothing But Nets
Now in its tenth year, Nothing But Nets is a global 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 $60 million to help deliver nearly ten million bed nets to families in need, along with other crucial malaria interventions. In addition to raising funds for its UN partners, Nothing But Nets raises awareness and voices to advocate for critical malaria funding for the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It only costs $10 to help save lives from this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to defeat malaria.
About The United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at: www.unfoundation.org.
About Dawes
Los Angeles-based rock-quartet Dawes first made waves with its 2009 debut North Hills and gained a reputation for their impressive classic rock-infused songs that evoke the past while embracing the present. Since then, they’ve released three more acclaimed albums, building an impressive body of work filled with unforgettable melodies, deeply emotional lyrics and powerful instrumentation, including the songs: “When My Time Comes,” “Time Spent in Los Angeles,” “A Little Bit of Everything,” “From A Window Seat,” “Things Happen” and “All Your Favorite Bands,” among many others. They are currently working on their fifth album with Grammy nominated producer Blake Mills. The band is famous for its compelling live shows and has toured with the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, My Morning Jacket, Mumford & Sons, Conor Oberst, Alabama Shakes and more, and has graced the stages of music’s most prestigious festivals. The Chicago Sun-Times declared: “With its modern take on old-fashioned songcraft and interplay, Dawes may ultimately be the most satisfying American band of its generation.”