Our Work

Helping Hands Fights Malaria

The Bare Facts on Malaria and Mosquitoes

Malaria is the biggest threat that Ugandan children face as every night the majority of them are at risk from the bites of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The facts are hard to face because they are so horrific and could so easily be different.

• Malaria kills an Africa child every 30 seconds.
• Malaria causes 1 in 5 of all childhood deaths in Africa.
• Malaria survivors can suffer from anaemia, epilepsy, and learning difficulties.
• Malaria is both preventable and treatable.

The Reality in Kamuli, Jinja and Mukono

Children’s health, education and future are put at risk from malaria every night. It is a disease which keeps whole communities locked into a poverty cycle as economic progress is held up through interrupted work and education and regular treatment simply drains a family’s resources.

With children often suffering from this disease 5 times a year more than 10% of lessons can be missed because of malaria. Many pupils’ education is damaged by this disease due to the tiredness that comes from anaemia and in more serious cases because of the damage done to the brain by the parasite.

Many parents in rural communities see this is as normal and due to high levels of illiteracy they are unaware of the cause of malaria. We have come across parents who firmly believe that mangoes are the main cause for malaria or others who consider dirty water to be the reason. As a result of this and the cost, there is a very low level of mosquito net usage in these communities.

The Way Forward

Helping Hands has taken a three-pronged approach to help children fight malaria:

• health education for children and parents to help them avoid malaria and to treat it if one of their family should become ill
• treatment for those showing early signs of malaria and referral for severe cases
• provision of subsidised long lasting insecticide treated nets for each nursery child at a subsidised cost of 30 pence.

The Results so far

In 2004 we began by treating an average of 13 children a day for malaria. That number has since dropped to less than an average of 4 children being treated for malaria in the same schools. During the last five years all of the children in our care have successfully recovered from malaria. This is thanks to the tireless work of Joy who treats every sick child no matter what time of day and to the children themselves who have learned to fight this deadly disease.

For every £6 you give we can provide one more child a mosquito net to keep them safe 365 nights a year. See Giving to Children in Uganda.

“Children now know what to do when they are sick. They also know how to stop malaria and they tell their parents what to do. It is good to see things changing with Helping Hands” said Mr George Luyiiro, a local government Medical Officer.

See Helping Hands Tackles Hygiene.