Tomorrow, June 20, is World Refugee Day and Serinda Swan, actress of USA’s hit summer show, Graceland, is calling for fans and global health advocates to support the millions of women and children living as refugees around the world.
Serinda, who plays DEA agent Paige Arkin, is a long-time Nothing But Nets Champion and hopes to protect refugee families from malaria. She traveled with Nothing But Nets to the Kakuma Refugee Camp on the border of South Sudan and witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts malaria had on families.
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 death where Nothing But Nets works. This year, we launched The Million Nets Pledge to protect refugee families from malaria with one million bednets by 2016. Our ambitious two-year goal aims to raise $10 million to protect vulnerable people fleeing violence in Central Africa.
This World Refugee Day, Nothing But Nets aims to deliver 10,000 life-saving bednets to protect vulnerable families from this preventable disease. NRS International, a family-owned company that develops and manufactures products for the humanitarian aid, public health and development sectors and its subsidiary, TANA Netting, have joined The Million Nets Pledge and will be matching contributions to Nothing But Nets through the end of June with an in-kind gift of 5,000 nets to protect refugee families from malaria.
Children and refugee families across Africa have faced unspeakable odds. After all they have endured and survived, these families should not have to fear dying from a mosquito bite. We are committed to protecting them so they can rebuild, be healthy, and thrive.
Anyone can join The Million Nets Pledge and help to send one million nets to protect refugee families from malaria. Go to www.NothingButNets.net/MillionNetsPledge to take the pledge and help save lives.