Nia Long & Ime Udoka Become Nothing But Nets Champions to Fight Malaria

Today, the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign announced actress Nia Long and San Antonio Spur’s assistant coach Ime Udoka as new champions in the fight against malaria.

In their first activity as Nothing But Nets champions, Long and Udoka are asking fans and family to help protect children and refugees from the disease by donating to the campaign.

You can make a difference and save a life by donating $10 to purchase a net for a child and family in need. "Ime and I wanted to find an organization that spoke to us on a personal level; we both have family members who have been affected by malaria and we are dedicated to giving back to those in need,” Long said. “It is inconceivable that children are still dying from a disease which is completely preventable and treatable. We are proud to partner with the Nothing But Nets campaign to help raise awareness. A simple bed net can make all the difference for a child and family to prevent the spread of this deadly disease.”

Every two minutes, a child dies from malaria. Nothing But Nets works closely with its UN partners across sub-Saharan Africa, to ensure vulnerable populations, including children, refugees, and families displaced by conflict, are protected from the disease.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nia and Ime into the ranks of Nothing But Nets champions working across the country and around the world to raise awareness, funds, and voices to protect families from malaria,” said Margaret Reilly McDonnell, Director of Nothing But Nets. “We’re committed to working towards the day when no child dies from a mosquito bite.”

Today, there are more than 65 million refugees and families displaced by violence around the world – and 60 percent of them live in areas where malaria is transmitted. Malaria is a major threat to refugees – it is a leading cause of illness and death in many African countries, including those where Nothing But Nets and its UN partners work.

Last year, the campaign launched The Million Nets Pledge to protect refugee families from malaria with one million nets by 2016. This ambitious two-year goal aims to raise $10 million to protect vulnerable people fleeing violence, particularly in Central Africa. Now in its tenth year, the Nothing But Nets campaign boasts hundreds of thousands of supporters – from students to athletes to entertainers – who all help to protect families from the threat of malaria.

Fans can join Long and Udoka in saving lives with Nothing But Nets by visiting NothingButNets.net/NiaLong.

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Contacts

Rachel Henderson

Communications Manager, Nothing But Nets

rhenderson@unfoundation.org

570.259.2205

About Nothing But Nets

Nothing But Nets is the world’s largest grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a disease which claims the life of a child every two minutes. Inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006. Nothing But Nets has raised over $60 million to help deliver ten million bed nets to families in need, along with other crucial malaria interventions. In addition to raising funds for its UN partners, Nothing But Nets raises awareness and voices to advocate for critical malaria funding for the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It only costs $10 to help save lives from this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to defeat malaria.

About the United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at: www.unfoundation.org.