Charities and Organizations Against Malaria
10 Orgs Fighting Malaria
Considering malaria is a pretty big issue and it threatens the lives of many, here is a compilation of organizations to donate to to help end malaria. It will probably help you to check out Malaria 101 on Average Advocate before getting into this post, if you haven’t yet. Because of organizations like these below, the awareness of malaria in the USA has been rising quickly! We can be part of stopping a disease that keeps people in the cycle of poverty.
10 Charities Working to End Malaria
Although these are numbered, don’t get me wrong. They are actually in no particular order of awesomeness. They each have their own pro’s, so take a few minutes to see which one works best for your donations.
Note: Although this list was originally compiled in 2012, it was updated for World Malaria Day 2016.
Charity Against Malaria #1
I really like the charity, Freedom From Hunger‘s approach of “Micro-finance to End Malaria” campaign. They give out mirco-loans, one of the best ways to fight poverty. This empowers women to buy their own nets, while providing some health insurance and savings. They prioritize health education so women can prevent, recognize, and spread information on malaria in their communities. Unfortunately, Freedom From Hunger has only a three star rating on Charity Navigator. But, they are empowering people to care for themselves, and sustainable development like this is ideal. In fact, this Malaria research supports how microfinance and prevention of Malaria go hand-in-hand.
Charity Against Malaria #2
Nothing But Nets, is probably the biggest fighter against malaria. Being the campaign of the United Nations to end malaria, their impact is broad and supported by governments. Purchasing, delivering, and educating on a net’s proper use costs $10 through Nothing But Nets.
These guys also give good tools to help you do crowdfunding to end malaria by coming up with your own ideas to act out as a fundraiser.
Charity Against Malaria #3
Imagine No Malaria is another organization, birthed by the United Methodist Church, doing a lot of cool stuff! For starters, they give 100% of their donations to the cause. The specialize on holistic anti-malaria work, using the networks they already have in different African communities to educate, provide medications and utilize the community to increase prevention. They partner with the UN’s Nothing But Nets and are sponsored by other good backers.
Another thing that is cool is that they have Malaria advocacy kits for churches to use, like an Advent kit, Lent kit, World Malaria Day kit, and Malaria 101 kit for your community.
Charity Against Malaria #4
The Foundation Against Malaria is rated pretty highly according to GiveWell and not just in financials, but in action and effective impact. In addition, nets cost only $2.50 for them and 100% of the funds go to nets! That is pretty awesome!
Charity Against Malaria #5
The charity Malaria No More is probably the other largest organization in the battle against malaria. They work all across the board, from advocacy, creating awareness, to anti-malaria programs on the ground. Combined with the Nothing But Nets campaign, their efforts on creating awareness has been one of the major catalysts getting us to pay attention. I also love their combined focus of creating an awareness of extreme poverty, which, along with Malaria, is the issue keeping Africa from successfully thriving. I think it is great Malaria No More is innovating for long-term solutions, rather than just prevention. I like the other ways you can be involved advocating to end malaria with them. I also like it that they are backed by ONE and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but they aren’t reviewed on Charity Navigator, so I don’t know the details of their financials.
Charity Against Malaria #6
On the other side of the spectrum is the non-profit NETwork Against Malaria, who looks like a grassroots movement created by five sisters in Illinois who partnered with a Catholic ministry in Uganda. They support various schools, providing students and their families with education and bed nets (at $10 a piece). You can sponsor nets for a child, family, classroom, school, or village, so you can pull your classroom to sponsor another classroom, for example. The nice thing about small organizations is that it is easy to ask them questions, reaffirming that your support is worthwhile.
You can also easily become personally involved to end malaria, like through starting your own chapter of NETwork, and doing down-to-earth things, like collecting old beads that can be used to raise funds. Here is one girl’s story of being involved at her blog, which is actually how I originally found out about them through the t-shirts she was selling.
Charity Against Malaria #7
Samaritans Purse– I am highlighting this organization because I was concerned about the insecticide the nets are treated in as I was afraid I would poison all the kids I wanted to help. Their webpage says that the nets are treated with a “natural insecticide.” If you aren’t familiar with Samaritan’s Purse, it is highly rated both financially and in action and is a Christian organization which does good stuff in many areas fighting poverty and helping those in conflicts. Recently thier CEO has been questioned for his integrity, so you can read this Should we do Operation Christmas Child if this concerns you.
Charity Against Malaria #8
This might be a great org, but I haven’t studied it in depth. Feel free to check it out!
Charity Against Malaria #9
World Vision has multiple funds to donate into to help end malaria, some of them doubling your gift. They are one of my favorites because they share my beliefs, are widely respected as humanitarian organization with a very large/broad reach, and they have a four star rating on Charity Navigator.
They, through their advocacy network, were actually what the inspired these posts on malaria! It costs $21 to donate a family malaria net.
Charity Against Malaria #10
Similar to World Vision, you can also donate nets through them.
What Orgs fighting Malaria are we missing? Let me know in the comments and we will add them!
Also, here is a kids book to check out helping to explain Malaria:
Check out these older posts on this issue:
Loving Others: World Malaria Day
http://www.healingfaithuganda.org Healing Faith Uganda is doing great work, check them out!