Celebrating African Women’s Day

Yesterday (July 31) was African Women’s Day. The world celebrated the millions of women in Africa who are making a difference in their homes, their communities, and their world.

These women are everyday heroes, whether they are mothers, teachers, politicians, or students. Jamila Hassan, for instance, is working to eliminate malaria as an educator, health advocate, and mother of three. As the only female supervisor in the Zanzibar Urban District, she’s working hard to improve the health of her community.

In Africa, women are especially vulnerable to malaria. According to the World Health Organization, around 30 million women become pregnant each year in places where malaria is endemic. Pregnancy weakens women’s immune systems – making them more susceptible to contracting malaria. Malaria during pregnancy can lead to health complications and accounts for up to 200,000 newborn deaths each year.

Celebrate African Women’s Day by sending a net to honor women and mothers like Jamila, who are changing the face of public health in their communities and countries. With the leadership and support of women around the world, we can be the generation to end malaria deaths by 2015.

P.S. – If you’re interested in learning more about how you can help women and girls across the world, check out another campaign of the UN Foundation, Girl Up, at www.girlup.org.