We're proud to a announce a new partnership with BusinessKind that will help provide 1,000 households in Myanmar (also known as Burma) with malaria prevention education and insecticide treated bed nets to help combat malaria. In addition to fighting malaria, BusinessKind employs local women in Myanmar that are living with HIV/AIDS to make the nets, this helps provide meaningful employment for marginalized women in the community.
Who is BusinessKind?
BusinessKind is a nonprofit organization focused on creating community based social businesses. GoodSleep was BusinessKind's first organization, founded in 2008. GoodSleep makes and sells insecticide-treated bed nets, providing over 20,000 households with this type of malaria prevention. In addition to creating affordable and sustainable bed nets for families in Myanmar, GoodSleep and BusinessKind also trains and employs women with HIV/AIDS.
Our Partnership in Myanmar:
Myanmar has a long history of human rights abuses, political corruption, and conflict. The region of Myanmar where BusinessKind operates is a conflict zone due to years of political insecurity. Since 2011, Myanmar has been transitioning from military rule to a democratic civilian government. This conflict and insecurity has led to nearly 450,000 internally displaced people, according to the UNHCR.
Currently the leading cause of death in children under five in Myanmar is Malaria. Malaria is highly endemic in the remote rural villages of Northern Myanmar, it kills pregnant women and infants, cripples child development and paralyzes poverty reduction programs. The incidence of malarial illnesses can be greatly reduced by awareness education and the effective use of insecticide treated bed nets. There are two main goals in this project:
- Decrease the mortality and morbidity of malaria in pregnant women and children in rural villages of Northern Myanmar by prevention education and the distribution of 1,000 custom designed insecticide treated bed nets.
- Increase meaningful employment opportunities for Myanmar women living with HIV/AIDS at the BusinessKind factory.
The 1,000 households that receive free nets are some of poorest families in the community, but the larger goal is for the families to have a sense of ownership in the nets through a unique community design process. The nets that the women at BusinessKind make are designed with the community's input, studies show that these nets are highly valued and more effectively used than standard free nets, and are more likely to be purchased when a second or replacement net is needed.
How can you help?
- Calculate and donate your One Day's Wages or any amount.
- Pledge Your birthday for this campaign, or your Idea.
- Partner with us through your Business, School, or Place of Worship.
- Share this campaign throughout your social network.
Give To This Project to Fight Malaria
Women in the village learning about the bed nets and malaria prevention.