Boy Scouts buzz about malaria to celebrate 100 years

Back when Bill Gates, Sr. was a kid, Boy Scouts built fires, helped elderly people cross the street and planted trees. But now these young people who are known for their dedication to service are getting serious about mosquitoes… and not because they’re starting a bug collection.

Today the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) announced they are engaging their communities and the world by joining with the UN Foundation and Nothing But Nets to send nets and save lives. This year BSA is celebrating 100 years of service – and Nothing But Nets is excited teaming up with an organization with such a long tradition of service.

This afternoon, Boy Scouts of America Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca and I launched the partnership in Detroit, Michigan, as part of their campaign, A Year of Celebration: A Century of Making a Difference. Distinguished Eagle Scout and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates, Sr., Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, and Detroit Pistons athlete Deron Washington joined us at the workshop to help educate dozens of Scouts about malaria and the importance of service. For the next year, hundreds of blue and brown khaki-clad scouts across the country will be spreading the word about malaria prevention and Nothing But Nets through projects such as removing standing water in parks and creating educational tools and activities that show the impact of malaria around the world. Through their efforts, more people will know about the dangers of mosquitoes carrying malaria in Africa, and then more people will send nets and save lives!

As always, it’s amazing to see our different Champions team up to help us achieve our goal of covering Africa with nets. Boy Scouts + Bill Gates, Sr. = NET-working to save lives! You can learn more about what the Boy Scouts are doing here.