Kedibonye Motlalepula

Today is the Day of the African Child and a moment to reflect on the tangible and positive progress being made to reduce child deaths from malaria in Africa. Last year, 485 children’s lives were saved every day thanks to global efforts to make malaria no more.

We need your support to ensure this success continues. No child should die from malaria, yet the disease remains one of the biggest killers of children in Africa, and globally a child dies from malaria every 45 seconds.

Mamas Amos and Otsieditse, Volunteer health workers

Volunteers Week kicks off today, 1 June, and celebrates the fantastic contributions made by millions of people across the UK to great causes, like Morwenna who ran in this year’s marathon in support of Malaria No More UK.

Morland Saunders in Ghana with ITV Tonight

Last night, ITV Tonight ran a report back documentary: “The Deadliest Bite”, showing how money raised for Malaria No More UK from last year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is helping save lives of some of the most vulnerable people in Ghana, West Africa.

Harry Yirrell died in 2005 from malaria, since then his Mum, Jo (my Auntie) has been campaigning to rid the world of malaria. It is five years this month since we lost Harry and in his memory I chose Malaria No More UK as one of the our charities when I decided to swim the channel with some friends.

Buster Yirrell and Tom Pratt are better known in their home town of Leighton Buzzard for flying around on a rugby pitch, but next month they will be diving from a different angle when they take part in the . The pair, known as Team Yirrell, will be joined by Sam Fox, snooker champion Jimmy White and Hollyoaks star Stuart Manning.

We are working along with three other pairs of Faiths Act Fellows to encourage creative youth-led initiatives that bring together people from diverse backgrounds to eradicate deaths due to malaria.

This summer my Aunt, Jan Duckett, along with her husband Ian organised a walk for friends and family around their local countryside of Prestwood, Buckinghamshire to raise money for Malaria No More UK.

Malaria No More UK is encouraging all political parties to have a clear commitment to funding malaria prevention and treatment in their manifestos for the next election.

Ten year old Joe Griffiths from Guildford walked an amazing 60 miles this August, raising a fantastic £227 for Malaria No More UK.

I visited Africa for the first time in April with Malaria No More UK and the BBC to make a documentary about my son Harry.