Mary & Martha's battle against malaria

There’s a famous Africa proverb;

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito”

Living with malaria is a preventable and harsh reality for millions of people across the world, especially in Africa, where 90% of deaths occur, South America, and India.

660,000 people are killed needlessly by the malaria parasite entering their bloodstream, which is often caused by the bite of a mosquito.  One bite causes respiratory problems, feverish sweats, and vomiting and ruins the lives of two to three thousand families and individuals lives per day.

Pretty bleak right? Well, we’re making progress.

Malaria deaths have decreased by more than a quarter, 26%!

The Global Fund has treated more than 290 million cases (that’s more than twice the population of Russia)

And the campaign, Malaria No More, predicts that by 2015 we could save a further three million lives.

So how can we do more? 

Well, if you put together an Academy-award winner, a directing legend, and one of Britain’s most infamous actresses; I think we’re on the right path to raising awareness of one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

Mary and Martha is a story of two women, who travelling to Africa lose both their sons to malaria, and in an ambitious struggle try to save the lives of infected children.

Written by Richard Curtis and directed by Phillip Noyce, Mary and Martha stars Hilary Swank as Mary and Brenda Blethyn as Martha, and premieres on the BBC on the 1st March at 8.30pm!

You can watch the trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s7l7nWx1VHY

GET INVOLVED:

The USA is the biggest donor to the Fund.  By (US) law, it cannot contribute more than one-third of the Fund’s budget.  For 2011-2013, the US pledged a total of $4 billion.  ONE is currently lobbying the White House to extend this level of funding for 2014 (ie $1.65 billion).  President Obama will announce his decision along with other federal funding decisions in the coming weeks.

The UK is the third biggest contributor to the Fund (behind France and ahead of Germany).  DFID has yet to announce the level of UK funding from 2014 onwards, although former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell had committed in April 2012 to doubling the UK’s contribution if certain conditions were met (reforms that have now been enacted).