It’s one thing to hear about a scary, serious global health problem like malaria on TV or in the news. It’s not a disease that we have much experience with anymore in the United States.
But for millions of families around the world, malaria is a real threat. It’s hard to believe that today, a child still dies every minute from this completely preventable disease. Countless mothers put their babies to bed at night and worry: Will my little girl be bitten by a malaria-carrying mosquito? How can I keep her safe? We met some of these mothers and listened to their stories on our recent trip to Rwanda with the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign.
Connecting with refugee women, who have so little, yet still have big hopes and dreams for their children, was indescribable. We’ll never forget their faces, their tiny mud homes with roofs made of plastic sheets, the hardships they face, the violence they’ve experienced. We’ll never forget joining them in dance, in song, exchanging hugs. We’ll never forget their beauty, and their dignity.