Malaria In Mozambique

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(Maputo, Mozambique)

In the neighborhoods of Mozambique lie hidden dangers. It’s a parent’s nightmare.

Lare Xaviaf, Children Had Malaria: “This one here, when she had malaria the temperature of the body was very high and she had the severe diarrhea.”

Water wells and poor-drainage areas near homes are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Their bites can cause malaria. All three of Lare Xaviaf’s children have had malaria, but they were lucky—they survived.

Lare Xaviaf, Children Had Malaria: “It’s very scary when they have malaria. The first thing that I usually do is rush them to the hospital because they can die any time.”

Now there’s a bed net at the family’s home to protect the children. But many families cannot afford to buy nets. This mother supplements her income selling food on a street corner in front of her home, and makes about two dollars a day.

Lare Xaviaf, Children Had Malaria: “I always live a spirit of gratitude. Even though I may consider myself poor, there are people who are poorer than me.”

Bishop Joao Machado, United Methodist Church: “Education, poverty are the keys of why we have this.”

Bishop Joao Machado is leading United Methodist Church efforts in Mozambique to save children from malaria.

Bishop Joao Machado, United Methodist Church: “Malaria is killing more than HIV.”

Machado says the nets being distributed across Africa are making a difference. He’s hoping one day a vaccine will be developed for malaria. But in the meantime, families continue to struggle.

Lare Xaviaf, Children Had Malaria: “We don’t have enough to provide food for our children on a daily basis. It’s only by faith that you go to bed without even knowing what you’re going to eat tomorrow. We only live by faith.”

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The Roll Back Malaria campaign is trying to reduce the number of malaria cases in Mozambique. And a campaign called “Nothing But Nets”—supported by the people of the United Methodist Church and partners like the United Nations Foundation and the National Basketball Association—is raising money to send more insecticide-treated bed nets to Africa.

For information on how you can purchase a life-saving bed net, visit
www.NothingButNets.net.