Divine Intervention
A few months ago, Divine Muwawu (in the white shirt on the far right) was hiding his poor health from his Mama. He was afraid of burdening her with his illness while the family was struggling financially during the lockdown.
Gratefully, COU’s staff counseled Divine and we were able to verify that he had contracted malaria. He received swift treatment and soon felt better. But sadly, Divine was not alone as several other Children of Uganda sponsored students were diagnosed.
And so, we sprang into action – reaching out to our amazing community of supporters – and within weeks we raised $5,000 towards anti-malaria and solar lantern kits!
Over 80 students and their families in Kampala, Mukono and Kyotera districts received malaria prevention items (mosquito nets, repellent soap and body jelly), solar lanterns, dignity kits (sanitary pads, hand sanitizer and a whistle), as well as academic study materials these past two weeks.
Uganda Facts About Malaria:
- Uganda has the third largest malaria burden in Africa and the sixth largest in the world.
- 25,000 cases of malaria are reported daily in Uganda – with an average of 16 fatalities per day.
- Children under 5 years of age are the most vulnerable and account for half of all malaria-related deaths – far exceeding the mortality rate of HIV/AIDS.
- Malaria transmission is significantly reduced by the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN’s); however, only 10% of children under 5 and pregnant women sleep under ITN’s.
- Rural inhabitants have a higher risk of malaria transmission with an estimated 1,500 or more infectious bites per year.
- 95% of Uganda’s population is at a highly endemic risk, with the remaining 5% of the country prone to malaria epidemics.
- Malaria is responsible for up to 40% of all outpatient visits, 25% of all hospital admissions and 14% of all hospital deaths – a heavy burden on the healthcare sector.
- Families spend 25% of their household income on malaria prevention or treatment.
References: National Malaria Control Program; World Health Organization
Unable to return to the safety and comfort of school due to COVID-19, students are now exposed to all kinds of threats – malaria being one of the most serious. And yet, we remain committed to doing all that we can to protect our kids despite the challenges!
Families were beyond grateful for the nets and our entire team is relieved that so many more children are now protected – although we have not yet reached our ultimate goal. We are still fundraising to deliver anti-malaria kits and solar lanterns to all 200 families we serve.
