Since its founding in 1931, FAWCO has worked for the well being of children - so it is appropriate that we focus on malaria – the single largest killer of children in the world.

Malaria is much more than a health issue. We cannot address world poverty without taking aim at malaria. Impoverished countries suffer the most from malaria and these countries are caught in a vicious circle of disease and poverty. Malaria drains national economies, discourages foreign investment and tourism, depletes family resources by increasing health care expenditures ---and decreases income through sickness and absenteeism. It hinders the harvesting of crops contributing to hunger and salvation. Malaria is responsible for children missing school, hampering their learning and impeding long term physical and cognitive development.

• Malaria is preventable, treatable and curable, yet it is the largest killer of children in the world

• Malaria infects between 300 million and 500 million people every year

• Over 60%of the world’s population lives in malaria infected areas

• Malaria kills up to 2.7 million people each year, about 7,400 per day – with the majority of the victims being children.

• With acute malaria, a child may die within 24 hours.

• Malaria kills a child every 30 seconds.

• Over 30% of school absenteeism in Africa is attributed to malaria.

• Pregnant women and children under 5 are at most risk because of their weakened or undeveloped immune systems.

• The mosquito that transmits malaria bites exclusively at night, primarily between 11:00 and 5:00 am . Day biting mosquitoes do not transmit malaria.

• The best prevention is to avoid being bitten at all.

Insecticide-treated-bed nets are widely accepted as one of the most cost–effective malaria prevention measures. Since the mosquito that transmits malaria (female Anopheles) bites exclusively at night, something as simple as sleeping under an insecticide treated mosquito net will reduce malaria deaths in young children by 20%. An insecticide treated bed net called an ITN costs approximately $5. - an unaffordable price for people living in extreme poverty.

Malaria is a silent catastrophe - a tragedy that does not get media exposure - we do not see it on our TV screens even though it kills so many. One child dies of malaria every 30 seconds. That is the equivalent of 7 jumbo jets full of children, dying from malaria each and every day, every day of the year. Imagine that on your television screens. That’s an image we should try to keep and then remember, that unlike so many other tragedies malaria is preventable, treatable and curable. We can change those numbers and FAWCO and its friends and supporters are helping to do that.