2 years ago after my first trip to Africa, I started a non-profit called "Nets of Love" to raise money to purchase insecticide-treated bed nets for African women and children at high risk of contracting malaria. After returning to Africa this summer and living and working in a rural village in Ghana, I was once again confronted with the problem of the tragic, yet completely preventable disease, malaria (over 45% of the patients at the local hospital in Hohoe, Ghana came to be treated for malaria...often too late). While in Ghana, I worked at an HIV/AIDS program counseling and assisting HIV victims and learned that AIDS and malaria are a far too common and decidedly deadly combination. Although the treatments for HIV and malaria are medically quite different, both diseases are often preventable and have the unfortunate ability to work together to weaken and eventually destroy lives. The benefit of addressing malaria and HIV together through medical/educational clinics in Africa is significant.

I hope to expand my "Nets of Love" program to include donations to sponsor Africans living with HIV/AIDS. Just 5 US$ per month (A trip to Starbucks!) can provide ARV (anti retroviral) treatment for people infected with HIV/AIDS and can offer people the chance to live somewhat normal lives.

Alternatively, a donation of $5 US per bed net will help us buy insecticide treated bed nets for families to sleep under in the malaria-ridden regions of Ghana.

To learn more about how malaria and HIV/AIDS are linked please click here