Letter to Members of Congress Urging them to take interest and action on MALARIA

I am the mother of two boys (21 and 17) and I live in Cotonou, Republic of Benin (West Africa). I am a middle school and a high school teacher at the English International School.

I am enrolled in the Malaria Griots Project launched by One. The spring 2012 group of Griots is one of the most diverse groups we have ever had with passionate advocates from all around the world and we are committing to be One voice to make MALARIA NO MORE!

I am writing to urge you to support the progress which has been made in the fight against malaria. 

As President George W. Bush stated in 2007 proclaiming April 25th as World Malaria day, “as a compassionate nation, we are called to spread awareness about malaria…and we are called to act. That’s what compassionate people do. When they see a problem, they act.” 

As president Obama stated before the Ghanian Parliament, “We are called to act by our conscience but also by our common interest, because when a child dies of a preventable disease in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.”

Under the National Malaria Eradication Program, malaria was eliminated from the United States in 1951. If we get the necessary help from the U.S, similar success can be achieved in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Dr. David Bowen, CEO of Malaria No More, malaria must be eradicated in Africa for the following reasons: (1) Malaria hurts macroeconomic growth in Africa; (2) Malaria is imposing costs on families that are already living on the very edge of survival; (3) Malaria negatively impacts childhood cognitive development.

We must tell the U.S. Government that saving lives from malaria is their priority just as the President’s Malaria Initiative was started by George W. Bush in 2005 to protect women and children in Africa form malaria.

We must tell congress that malaria kills and that simple actions like nets can save lives!

I know you share my desire to help end malaria in the world. I am writing to urge you to take action and not to cut the international programs that fight malaria in the fiscal year 2012 budget.