Mayor Parker Declares “Nothing But Nets” Week in Houston

Houston, TX |  July 8, 2010

Houston Mayor Anisse Parker praised the Houston community today for helping to raise $30 million to send 3 million life-saving bed nets through the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets™—a global, grassroots campaign to end malaria in Africa.  The campaign has travelled to more than 20 cities on its “Buzz Tour,” to build on the excitement around the World Cup to raise awareness about the preventable disease that continues to kill a child every 30 seconds—mainly in Africa. As the World Cup finals approach, Nothing But Nets™ kicked off the final stop on its countrywide tour with an event at City Hall, where Mayor Parker declared July 8-15, 2010 “Nothing But Nets™ Week” in Houston. 

The campaign’s local partners, including representatives from the Houston Dynamo, The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston, the Texas Annual conference of the United Methodist Church, and Congregation Emanu El of the Union for Reform Judaism, joined the Mayor to launch the week of events. Nothing But Nets™ is spreading the buzz about ending malaria deaths with stops at Antioch Park, the July 10th Dynamo match, and a grand finale World Cup Watch Party where Houston Dynamo star Dominic Oduro and hundreds of fans will cheer on the next world champion, and build support to kick malaria out of Africa.

“When our campaign began three years ago, we came to Houston and were overwhelmed by the tremendous support of the community,” said Nothing But Nets™ Director Adrianna Logalbo. “We are closer than ever to reaching to global goal to end malaria deaths by 2015. From the faith community, corporations, sports teams, youth groups and the city itself, Houston is at the front of that effort.”

Photo credit: Nothing But Nets™. For additional photos, or hi-res images, please contact Negin Janati- njanati@unfoundation.org.

BACKGROUND
Nothing But Nets™ is in Houston as part of its “Buzz Tour,” a country-wide journey in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted for the first time in Africa—where 90 percent of malaria deaths occur.  Nothing But Nets™ is Uniting Against Malaria with partners in more than 20 cities, traveling in a converted school bus, fueled by waste vegetable oil and outfitted with solar panels, to drive people to join the movement to end malaria.  

Every 30 seconds, a child dies from malaria - which is easily prevented through the use of an insecticide-treated bed net.   The nets create a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night, when the vast majority of malaria transmissions occur, and are the most cost-effective method of preventing the spread of the disease.   One bed net can protect a family of four, and lasts three to five years.  A net costs just $10 to purchase, deliver and educate the recipient on its proper use. 

To date, Nothing But Nets™ has raised close to $30 million and has distributed nearly three million nets to children, pregnant women and refugees throughout Africa.  For more information, including photos, video, and Buzz Tour schedule, log on to www.NothingButNets.net/buzztour.

###

About Nothing But Nets™
Nothing But Nets™ is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. Inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006.  Founding campaign partners include the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, The people of The United Methodist Church, and Sports Illustrated. It only costs $10 to provide an insecticide-treated bed net that can prevent this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to send a net and save a life.