Impact Update: Ousmanou’s Story

Ousmanou Danti, a 35-year old refugee from the Central African Republic (CAR), says with a smile that none of her five children have visited the hospital lately for malaria.

Mosquitoes are widespread at the Gado camp in east Cameroon, where she and her children seek refuge from violent conflict in CAR alongside 25,000 other compatriots. But thanks to insecticide-treated bed nets, provided through a partnership between Nothing But Nets and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Ousmanou has peace of mind knowing her family is protected from mosquitoes when they’re inside their hut.

Fleeing violence in 2014, Ousmanou’s family was forced to wade through miles of forest and overcome multiple tropical diseases to reach Gado camp. Today, her joy comes from seeing her children – now aged 15, 14, 7, 4 and 1 – run off to school as she stays back to take care of her youngest child.

“I have been using nets since I came here in 2014 and each time one gets torn I try to replace it. I got these ones in 2018,” she adds proudly, as she plays with her youngest child on the bed.

Unburdened by malaria or other tropical diseases, Ousmanou can think more about her family’s future. “My wish is to have a small business in front of my door where I sell little provisions and don’t have to go away from home since I have more children,” she said.

Since 2007, Nothing But Nets has helped UNHCR protect over 13 million refugees and internally displaced persons in 26 countries through the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, rapid diagnostic tests, and anti-malaria treatments. Nothing But Nets is currently working with UNHCR to provide malaria prevention and treatment to displaced populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.