Antimalarial bednet distribution with Against Malaria Foundation

Malaria is carried by mosquitoes that bite at night, which is what makes a net over a sleeping area such an effective barrier. A long-lasting insecticidal net works twice over: it stops bites, and the insecticide woven into it kills mosquitoes that land on the surface, which protects people nearby who are not under a net at all.

Nets are the cheap part. A family-sized net costs only a few dollars, and the harder work is everything around it: negotiating with a national malaria program, registering households, running the distribution, and then returning at intervals to check whether nets are actually hung and in use. That verification is what separates a net delivered from a net protecting somebody, and it is unusual enough that it is a large part of why this program is rated so highly.

The charity that funds and monitors these distributions is the Against Malaria Foundation.

Malaria remains one of the largest causes of death among children under five, and the overwhelming majority of deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a drag on the regional economy, because repeated infection keeps adults out of work and children out of school. Every one of those deaths is preventable with tools that already exist and are already cheap.

Canadians giving through Rethink Charity receive an official Canadian donation receipt for gifts to this program. Employer matching applies to most donations made through our platform, which is the simplest way to double what a net distribution receives; our matching page explains how to check whether your employer participates.