Students Take Action to Prevent Spread of Malaria

Think“disease prevention” and you might think of billion dollar pharmaceutical solutions, all hypodermic needles and blister-packed pills.  But as Haverford students are learning, one of the most effective weapons against malaria couldn't be simpler, cheaper, or easier to administer.

It all started when Assistant Professor of Biology Iruka Okeke screened the film Malaria: Fever Wars in her biology classes. The documentary showed that while malaria is preventable, it is the leading cause of death for children in Africa, killing more than one million each year. After seeing the film in Okeke's“Perspectives in Biology: Tropical and Infectious Diseases” class, Natalie Zych '11 decided to take action.  Zych sat in on Okeke's“Molecular Microbiology” during a screening of the film.

“Natalie stood up at the end of class and said, ‘So what are we going to do about it?'” said Darian Lunne '09.“Like Natalie, if I see a problem that's preventable, it's really hard for me to justify not doing something about it.”

Through an online search, Zych and Lunne found“Nothing but Nets”, an Internet-based campaign devoted to saving lives by preventing malaria. For every $10 raised by supporters, a mosquito-repellant insecticide-covered bed net is purchased. The nets are then distributed to needy malaria-stricken areas worldwide by the Measles Initiative, a widely successful malaria vaccination and prevention education program.

“Before seeing the film, I didn't realize the large disconnect that exists between us and this major issue. Our community is one that prides itself on raising awareness, and we can do something about this,” said Zych.

After Spring Break, Lunne and Zych started the“Nothing but Nets” Haverford Team. They set a goal for their peers to raise $2,000 for the campaign, and challenged the faculty to match the amount raised by the students. In response to Lunne and Zych soliciting donations at a table during meal times in the Dining Center and sending a faculty mass email, students donated $1,560 and faculty $385.

The students are looking forward to bolstering their efforts on campus in the fall. To raise awareness of the ease in which the devastating effects of malaria can be prevented, Lunne and Zych plan on writing facts about malaria in sidewalk chalk along walkways throughout campus. To raise money for nets, they plan to ask for donations in high-traffic areas such as Whitehead Campus Center.

Lunne and Zych will continue to campaign for“Nothing but Nets” during their remaining time at Haverford.“We're talking about helping to save people's lives. For both of us, this is just the beginning,” said Zych.

-Dana Eiselen '11