The students and faculty of Baker University have stepped up, shelled out and are working to eradicate malaria, a disease prevalent in Africa.
Malaria is responsible for between 708,000 to 1,003,000 deaths according to the 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics.
Baker has teamed up with the organization Nothing But Nets to purchase mosquito nets for under-developed nations where malaria poses a fatal threat to the native population.
Nothing But Nets is an international organization, based out of Washington, D.C., that draws funds, not only from college campuses, but also the National Basketball Association, Sports Illustrated Magazine, the United Methodist Church and the United Nations Foundation.
The organization first appeared on the national radar in 2006 when Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly wrote a column supporting the foundation and generated $1.2 million in donations.
With the help of the Baker University Student Activities Council, Baker University has contributed money toward the eradication of malaria by the year 2020.
“Ten dollars buys a mosquito net for a family and it protects them from malaria for up to four years,” John Babb, recreation coordinator for SAC, said. “Last year, as a school, we raised about $2,000 … and we are hoping to raise a figure close to that this year.”
So far this year, SAC has hosted a three-on-three basketball tournament and a free throw competition to raise funds for mosquito netting.
Some Baker greek organizations also plan to contribute by putting buckets for spare change in their chapter houses.
University Minister Ira DeSpain first brought the organization to focus at Baker through his association with the United Methodist Church and has been coordinating events for Nothing But Nets at Baker for the last two years.
“Part of the purpose of the whole event is to raise awareness,” DeSpain said. “The point that we need to get across is how preventable (malaria) is. It’s not like other diseases that are transmitted. It’s very easily controlled, and that’s the message we want to get across.”
The Baker men and women’s basketball teams have also pledged their support by offering to wear Nothing But Nets warm-up T-shirts during their home games Saturday against Lindenwood University.
Students can also support Nothing But Nets by donating money or purchasing Nothing But Nets apparel online at www.nothingbutnets.net.
