Malaria No More wishes all of our friends, supporters and partners a very Happy Holidays!

We certainly have plenty to celebrate—from major announcements to a wonderful plan for the future, from incredible support from generous Americans to exciting work on the ground—there is a lot to be thankful for.

Here’s wishing you a safe and healthy holiday season and looking forward to a wonderful 2009!

Best,
Buzzwords

A last-minute gift is, by definition, not a thought-out affair. But it doesn’t have to be meaningless!

A simple $10 donation to Malaria No More will provide a life-saving mosquito net to protect a child in Africa from the deadly bite of a malarial mosquito. It’s the perfect way to say, “Mom—you inspire me to think beyond the 99¢ bin in the check-out line, beyond striped socks or an ‘I ♥  Pugs’ coffee mug. I’ve grown, Mom.”

Show your mom, dad, grandmother or best friend just how much they inspire you by honoring them with a donation to Malaria No More and give the gift of growing up—a unique and wonderful way to show you care during the holidays.

Even better, now through December 31st, all donations to Malaria No More will be matched by a generous donor, dollar for dollar. That means that your gift has twice the impact.

Go to www.MalariaNoMore.org/holidays for more information on our holiday gifts, including online e-cards to send your best wishes in time for the holidays. 

 Avoid the mad dash to the mall—and find a last-minute gift you can be proud of.

Malaria No More is all about engaging people in the fight against malaria and showing how individual actions can make outsized impact and help save lives. 

With that in mind, Buzzwords would like to regularly recognize fellow bloggers who are helping to highlight the fight against malaria and urging others to take action…Enter the first edition of “Buzz Bytes”, a compliation of some notable blog entries that piqued our interest!

Erik’s 101 in 1001 is a list of 101 set tasks that he aims to complete in 1001 days. Luckily for us, donating bed nets is Number 42! Erik even sent up a secure donation page to urge others to donate…

…For Beatrice lets her readers know about our matching gift through the end of the year…

…and Mike gives a great overview of the new trial malaria vaccine results, while reminding everyone that they can save a life today!

Blog on!

MNM Communications Director, Martin Edlund, poses in Starbucks

Need a little extra holiday cheer? Now, your daily Starbucks run can do more good than just put you on a caffine high.  For every purchase of a (RED) beverage—Peppermint Mocha Twist, Gingersnap Latte and Espresso Truffle— Starbucks is contributing five cents to the Global Fund to invest in AIDS programs in Africa.

This good java / good karma blend lasts through January 2, so forgo your tall-skinny-decaf-latte in favor of a grande-whole milk-with whipped cream Peppermint Mocha. Don’t do it for your hips. Do it for the world.

While you’re there, take your picture in front of the Starbucks (RED) sign to show your support. We did!

Instead of yet another floral scarf for Aunt Mabel or golf balls for Uncle Bob, help a child in need with a gift to Malaria No More. A single $10 donation will provide a life-saving mosquito net to protect a child in Africa from the deadly bite of a malarial mosquito.

Malaria No More provides numerous different ways to help save a life during the holidays.  Send a gift with a donation through MNM’s retail partners or send a last-minute e-card and make a difference:

• Bliss spa donates 20% from the sales of their Sockettes and Glamour Gloves to Malaria No More
• GOOD Magazine donates 100% of your 2009 subscription to Malaria No More
• ABC Home & Planet is offering a personalized certificate wrapped in a vintage silk sari envelope to commemorate your gift to provide 8 nets and anti-malaria medicine
• Malaria No More offers holiday cards, e-cards and MNM gear to show you care

Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease—but a child in Africa dies of malaria every 30 seconds. By donating in the name of a loved one, you will give an invaluable gift…the gift of growing up.

From now until the end of the year, a generous supporter of Malaria No More has pledged to match every dollar of any gift you make to Malaria No More, up to $250,000!

That means that every donation will have double the impact to help us save more lives of those who are at risk of this deadly disease.

Our mission at Malaria No More is plain and simple: to ensure everyone at risk of malaria has a life-saving mosquito net by 2010 and to end malaria deaths by 2015. We can do it—with your help.

Please make a gift today double your difference in the fight against malaria.

Malaria No More is delighted to tell you that Ray Chambers—co-founder of Malaria No More and now the United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria—was presented yesterday with a Presidential Citizens Medal for his incredible commitment to youth in the United States and in Africa.

From the official White House statement:

Ray Chambers has reached out to help at-risk youth and worked to turn the tide against malaria in Africa. By standing with the people of Africa in the fight against this treatable and preventable disease, he has helped lift a burden of unnecessary suffering. The United States honors Ray Chambers for his steadfast commitment to mentoring young people and his noble work to eliminate malaria.

Congratulations, Ray! Many thanks for your leadership in the fight against malaria. You continue to inspire us to work every day to improve the lives of others and create a world without malaria.

Find more details about the 2008 recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal here.

There’s a great article in TIME magazine this week on the malaria vaccine trial in Kenya and Tanzania called, “The Vaccine That Could Help Wipe Out Malaria”. Check it out—it’s a great read and signifies a major step toward ending malaria for once and for all.

An encouraging excerpt from the article:

After receiving the shots, all the babies were visited weekly, and their blood was tested for both the malaria parasite and malaria antibodies. On average, the group that received the injections had a 53% lower infection rate than the control group, and the effect lasted for up to eight months.

As we wait for the results of the trial and further tests, Malaria No More will continue to work on malaria control efforts and eliminating deaths from this deadly disease.

To celebrate the charitable holiday season, Yale University is hosting the “Tony Blair Faith Foundation Malaria Relief Concert” on Saturday, December 13th from 8-10pm to raise funds to fight malaria in Africa. The holiday concert will bring together members of Yale’s diverse interfaith community to enjoy a wide variety of music and make a difference in the lives of children at risk of malaria.  

Yale graduate student Anna Stirgwolt Brady-Estevez and New Canaan, CT high school student Amanda Ackerman coordinated the event, which will feature acts by Yale Alumni Chorus, St. Luke’s School, Mixed Company, and Proof of the Pudding, among others.

Sponsors include the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science and the Yale Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS). Each $10 ticket will act as a donation of a life-saving mosquito net through Malaria No More.

Purchase tickets online here or learn more about the concert on Yale’s website.

Learn more about the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

Malaria No More is thrilled with President-elect Barack Obama’s choice of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.  Senator Clinton has been incredibly supportive of malaria control efforts and of the U.S. role in ending malaria deaths in Africa and worldwide.

In 2007, she brought malaria to the forefront of the Presidential debate by outlining a $1 billion per year U.S. pledge to the fight against malaria.  Her commitment to malaria has been echoed by the President-elect, who vowed U.S. leadership in the fight to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015.

Malaria No More looks forward to working with Senator Clinton and the incoming Administration to tackle malaria and ensure that no child dies of this preventable and treatable disease.

Read the full statement from Malaria No More Chairman Peter Chernin.