JCI Announces New Commitment to The Million Nets Pledge

We are thrilled that our partner Junior Chamber International (JCI) has officially announced an exciting new contribution to The Million Nets Pledge! Launched last year, The Million Nets Pledge is Nothing But Nets’ commitment to provide over one million bed nets to refugee families under threat of malaria by the end of 2016. JCI is joining us in this endeavor by committing to provide 30,000 nets. What is especially exciting about this monumental contribution is that, upon JCI’s completion of this goal, our partner Sumitomo Chemical Company will match it net for net—doubling the number of nets to 60,000.

Since 2000, child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa have been reduced by 71%. The UN estimates that more than 6.2 million lives have been saved since 2000, and the targets for Millennium Development Goal 6 have been met or surpassed. Right now, the UN and global leaders are seeking to eliminate malaria in at least 35 countries by 2030, and to reduce cases and deaths from malaria worldwide by 90%.

So much progress has been made in the fight against malaria, and yet there is still so much work to be done.

“Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria,” said Paschal Dike, 2016 JCI President. “We are committed to working with Nothing But Nets to lead the generation that defeats malaria once and for all.”

For the past seven years, JCI has been one our most instrumental partners, helping to raise close to $3.5 million to protect refugees and families from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. We look forward to continuing our vital partnership with them in the fight to defeat malaria, and are excited that they share our passion for the pledge and for this cause.

Today, tens of millions of refugees and their families have been displaced by violence around the world – and 60 percent of them live in areas where malaria is transmitted. As a leading cause of illness and death in many African countries, malaria poses a major threat to refugees.

The Nothing But Nets team works closely with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to provide bet nets and other malaria interventions for refugees and people displaced by conflict. We also advocate for leadership and funding for The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, responsible for over half of all international funding to fight malaria. The Global Fund has just facilitated a national campaign to distribute 15.8 million nets, with the goal of achieving universal coverage in Cameroon.

Just recently, JCI leaders journeyed to Cameroon with the Nothing But Nets team, where they were able to witness the impact of malaria firsthand.

“Malaria is a leading cause of death in Cameroon,” said Arrey Obenson, JCI Secretary General. “I grew up here – it’s a devastating disease. We can help Nothing But Nets save thousands of lives right now.”

JCI has over 200,000 members, both nationally and internationally, who will be working to advocate for this commitment to The Million Nets Pledge. Our partners are who make our work possible, and we are honored for JCI to join us in this undertaking over the next few months. This commitment serves as a reminder that if we all work together, we truly can defeat this deadly disease.

The Nothing But Nets campaign consists of hundreds of thousands of supporters. Students, athletes, entertainers – these are the people who make it possible to protect innocent lives. To help send one million nets to protect refugee families from malaria and join us in The Million Nets Pledge, visit http://www.nothingbutnets.net/millionnetspledge.

JCI members can go to www.NothingButNets.net/JCI to donate and help save lives.