By Titus O. Alzumah, Project Officer, ADDRO

Titus, helping a beneficiary to hang a net

I run the Malaria Programme of the Anglican Diocesan Development and Relief Organization (ADDRO) in the Upper East Region of Ghana. I have been working with ADDRO for six years, helping to provide nets and education on malaria to vulnerable groups like pregnant women, children under five and the chronically ill.

Malaria remains a major problem in the Upper East Region, it is the most common cause of illness seen in health clinics. It has also affected my family. My one year old daughter, Win-Dilla, had severe malaria in March this year. She had to be admitted to the hospital twice in the same month and on each occasion spent five days in the hospital. It was one of

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Malaria Programme and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) have launched a global plan to tackle emerging mosquito resistance to insecticides. WHO and RBM are urging affected countries and stakeholders to take action now. They want to make sure we can preserve the effectiveness of current mosquito control tools, such as long lasting insecticidal nets and sprays, and to ensure that a new generation of insecticides is available soon.

For more information on the Global Plan visit who.int/malaria

Arlene Phillips with her below the line cabbage soup & rice

Over 200 people signed up to Live Below the Line for us in May, so far raising over £23,000, with money still coming in. We have been inspired by the breadth of support from faith leaders, celebrities, politicians, students, business people and dozens of other volunteers from across the country!

We’re delighted to share just some of our highlights here, with more sure to come as people continue to take part and fundraise right up until the end of June. There’s plenty more time for your friends and family to register and get involved in this challenge to end extreme poverty and save lives from malaria.

Aloe Blacc met a school children in Ghana, every had been affected by malaria (c) Geoff Ward

This week over 10,000 people across the globe are making a change to their daily lives, to help end extreme poverty. They have chosen to Live Below the Line spending £1 on food and drink, to raise funds and awareness of the 1.4 billion people who live below the poverty line everyday for everything.

One of those people is artist and songwriter Aloe Blacc. Aloe was inspired to join the challenge after his trip to Ghana with us earlier this year to learn about malaria and the work taking place right now to make sure every home in the country has a mosquito net by the end of 2012.

Thomas & Irene Sandow (c) Geoff Ward

We are proud to support the historic effort underway in Ghana to make sure every home has a mosquito net by the end of the year. Ghana’s entire population of 24 million people is at risk of malaria so this is a crucial first step to stop the disease from spreading. Malaria is a leading cause of poverty in many parts of Africa, costing the continent around £8 billion a year and individual families up to 25% of their household income.

On a recent trip to Ghana with singer Aloe Blacc we caught up with Thomas, a 28 year old father who

This week Malaria No More UK team members Sarah and Roz are Living Below the Line. They’re taking part in the global challenge which asks people to live on £1 a day for 5 days for all food and drink to raise funds and awareness for the 1.4 Billion People who Live Below the Line every day for everything. Here are Sarah and Roz’s reflections mid-way through their week Living Below the Line in supporting of Malaria No More UK.

Five of our team have already done the challenge so we’ve been making the most of their top tips including where to find the cheapest tea bags, bargain vegetables and the daylong benefits of porridge! After some careful sums and shopping this weekend, we are both set to go!

Top choreographer Arlene Phillips has been raising funds to save lives from malaria by surviving on just £1 a day for all food and drink this week. The former Strictly Come Dancing judge took up the challenge to preview Live Below the Line with thousands of people across the country set to follow in her £1 a day footsteps next week when the challenge runs from from 7-11 May.

£1 a day is the stark reality for 1.4 billion people around the world who live on this budget, officially below the poverty line, every day for everything. Arlene chose to raise funds to save lives from malaria, a preventable disease that claims over 1,600 lives in Africa every day. She’s already raised £3,400, smashing her target of £3,000 for us. These funds will be used to tackle malaria in Africa, where most deaths from malaria take place and where the disease is an ongoing contributor to the cycle of poverty, preventing children from going to school and workers from earning a living.

By Chris Lourenco from the Clinton Health Access Initiative

Dr Chan watches a patient being tested for malaria using a rapid diagnostic test kit during her hospital visit

25 April was World Malaria Day. We mark this day every year, but I am proud to say this year’s festivities were Namibia’s greatest. Celebrating the dramatic decline of malaria in Namibia and the shift in the country’s policy from controlling to trying to eliminate the disease, Dr Margaret Chan, the Director General of the World Health Organization, made her first visit to Namibia.

Namibia’s Minister of Health, Dr Richard Kamwi, helped encourage this visit, keen to display his country’s progress in the fight against malaria. Dr Chan praised his and Namibia’s efforts and success in this historic effort during her stay.

Next week many of you will be Living Below the Line to help tackle malaria and fight extreme poverty. As part of your week of carefully planned below the line meals, you are invited to Come Dine Below the Line!

Help boost your Live Below the Line fundraising and share the message about the 1.4 Billion People who live in extreme poverty every day for, by inviting your friends to join you for a Below the Line meal on Wednesday 9 May.

Members of the Rotary Club of Pershore have combined African cooking with comedy and music to immense success, by staging a fundraising concert to help fight malaria.

75 Rotarians came together in Eckington Village Hall, Worcestershire to enjoy a night of music from the Fat Chance Comedy Band who entertained attendees, whilst they enjoyed a plate of Kuka Paka – a Kenyan dish of chicken cooked in coconut curry sauce.

Event organiser Cairns Boston, who is also a past president of the Club said: