On 25th April, Born Free Foundation celebrated World Malaria Day by joining hands with the government of Kenya to distribute mosquito nets to people who live around the Mwaluganje elephant sanctuary.
“The Born Free Foundation takes a holistic view of wildlife conservation.” said Alice Owen, Born Free regional manager based in Nairobi, Kenya. “We recognise the importance of protecting communities living around wildlife areas. Alleviating poverty, improving health and building good relations are all vital aspects in promoting tolerance and understanding and ultimately protecting the wildlife in these areas”.
For people living adjacent to the Shimba Hills Game Reserve and the Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary in Kwale District, malaria is a very serious, sometimes fatal, illness. In 2006, Born Free’s Global Friends programme decided to support the distribution of long-lasting “Olyset” insecticide-treated bed nets around Shimba and Mwaluganje. These efforts focus on the village of Mwachinga, where Born Free has worked, since the formation of the elephant sanctuary in 1999. Community work to date, carried out in association with the Shamley Green Village Schools 2000 project, has included a long-term programme of help with classroom construction, provision of books, other teaching materials and sports equipment to the local Ng'onzini primary school.
Working with the Ministry of Health and the Mwachinga clinic, Born Free has now distributed nearly 1,000 mosquito nets to local families. These latest-generation nets cost $10 each, which would be prohibitively high for rural poor families who earn less than $1 a day. Nets distributed under government programmes were only available to pregnant mothers and children under five.
Born Free trialed a new approach incvolving blanket distribution across all members of the community and the results have so far been impressive. During two years of regular monitoring, malaria cases have dropped to less than half of pre-project levels. A concerted programme of education has overcome some initial scepticism, including a local superstition that the nets were “whispering” to people as they slept.
The District Health officials have recognised Born Free’s efforts and the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for Kinango District has lauded “the commendable job Born Free has done at Mwachinga”. The MOH, Dr. Swaleh Shabhal, confirms that already there is evidence that Malaria in this village has reduced. This year’s district celebrations of World Malaria Day will be held at Mwachinga in honour of the project’s success. A further 400 new nets will also be distributed under a collaborative effort from the District Health Office Born Free.
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