On World Malaria Day, an important reminder about a preventable killer

UPDATE (April 25, 2012): Refreshed with 2012 info.

You know the names of Mandy Moore, George W. Bush, Dikembe Mutombo, and Ted Turner.

But Nathaniel Stafford?

His name isn’t as well-known—until now.

The Fayetteville, N.C., 13-year-old, joins the actress, former president, basketball legend, and philanthropist on the list of 25 Champions in the Fight Against Malaria.

The Champions, honored by the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign, come from all walks of life but have one thing in common: A passion for fighting malaria, a preventable disease that kills nearly 600,000 people each year.

Considering today is World Malaria Day, there’s no better time to see what Nate did to earn this prestigious honor—and to learn how your pack, troop, team, or crew can join the fight.

First, check out Nate’s awesome Trek 4 Nets program, a 100-mile hike to raise awareness about malaria. He raised more than just awareness, though. He also brought in a ton of money that went toward buying nets to send to Africa. (Read what Nate said at an awards ceremony in August 2011.)

You see, a simple $10 net can literally mean the difference between life and death in Africa, where a child dies every 45 seconds from the disease. The insecticide-treated bed nets help reduce malaria cases by as much as 90 percent in problematic areas.

When Nate heard about this, he wanted to do his part to help. And now, he’s getting recognition he didn’t ask for but certainly deserves. Read the Scouting magazine story to learn more about what you can do.

Want to help in a different way? Check out a full list of ideas, including info on direct donations, fundraisers, social media efforts, and more.

Send a net. Save a life. It’s that simple.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.