Buy a bracelet to help fight malaria
To date, more than R11.5-million has been raised from bracelet sales
A SMALL trinket is helping the world fight an age-old African foe – malaria.
This was the sentiment of Goodbye Malaria co-founder Sherwin Charles, speaking about the Goodbye Malaria Relate bracelet which has generated more than R1.7-million in sales in the past year alone.
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While the world grapples with Covid-19, Goodbye Malaria reminds people that other deadly diseases, such as malaria, remain a concern and will continue to be once the current pandemic has run its course.
In 2009, social cause agency Goodbye Malaria partnered with Relate to create and sell a beaded bracelet to raise funds to aid in the fight against malaria.
This partnership has generated R11.5-million to date to support Goodbye Malaria’s malaria elimination efforts in southern Africa.
A further R8.5-million has been generated to sustain the lives of crafters who live in abject poverty.
In 2018, 228 million cases of malaria were recorded across the globe.
‘You’re not buying a bracelet, you’re creating jobs and protecting lives,’ said Charles.
‘Our bracelets are made in the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha by gogos and tatas who still have families to support.
‘We build skills and support those who wish to succeed. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds goes towards on-the-ground indoor residual spray programmes.’
These bracelets are no longer sold only in South Africa, but in other countries too.
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A portion of funds from every bracelet sold around the world is designated to create earning opportunities and sustain the livelihoods of crafters who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, of which 98% are women.
Goodbye Malaria does most of its work in Mozambique, a high transmission country that shares 3% of the global malaria burden.
Malaria in Mozambique affects low-transmission countries, South Africa and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), which are the other two countries the organisation focuses on.
During this last spray season, more than 1.7 million lives were protected from malaria through the IRS spray programme.
To find our more about the Goodbye Malaria Relate bracelet, visit shop.goodbyemalaria.com or relate.org.za
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