Mandy Moore Distributes Bed Nets in Africa

Singer-songwriter, and actress MAndy Moore helped distribute thousands of long-lasting, insecticide-treated mosquito nets today to families in the Central African Republic (CAR), a country with one of the highest childhood death rates in the world and where malaria is a primary cause of illness and death. Moore, an Ambassador for PSI (Population Services International), traveled to Africa as part of a trip led by the UN Foundation's Nothing But Nets^TM campaign and PSI. The distribution of the life-saving, anti-malaria nets was made possible by Nothing But Nets supporters, and UNICEF, who together answered the UN's urgent call to send a net to every family in CAR.

"It was an honor to join this trip to help distribute long-lasting, insecticide-treated nets to help prevent malaria which continues to kill nearly one million people every year," said MAndy Moore. "This week I've met mothers who have lost children to malaria and worry daily about losing others. It is life-changing to be able to give them nets to protect their babies from malaria-carrying mosquitoes while they sleep."

While in CAR, Moore met with families to learn about the devastating effects of malaria and the impact of mosquito nets. She helped the Ministry of Health and UN partners hang the nets and educate families about their proper use. Moore also participated in a local press event to raise awareness about the importance of using life-saving nets.

Moore has been active in the fight against malaria since she first saw its impact in South Sudan last year, on a trip to distribute nets with PSI-an experience that inspired her to raise awareness to end malaria deaths. "We're on our way to reaching our goal of delivering a net to every family in CAR by the end of the year. Over the next week the partnership will deliver over 400,000 nets, nearly half the amount it will take to fill the gap. It takes just $10 to help-I hope more people will join us to make sure these families can sleep safely under an anti-malaria net. Together, we can cover the country."

Nothing But Nets, a global, grassroots campaign to end malaria in Africa, has helped distribute more than 3.5 million long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed nets in 25 countries across Africa. With the help of Moore and PSI, covering the Central African Republic with mosquito nets will be a key step toward the global goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.

"Malaria is preventable and we are making progress toward bringing an end to malaria deaths in the next five years," said Adrianna Logalbo, Director of Nothing But Nets. "We thank MAndy Moore for joining us in the movement to end malaria and helping to raise awareness about the urgency of preventing this deadly disease."

To learn more and to see photos from the trip, please visit www.NothingButNets.net. For hi-res photos, please contact Negin Janati at njanati@unfoundation.org.

BACKGROUND
Malaria is endemic throughout the Central African Republic year-round and is the leading killer of children under the age of five. Nothing But Nets, in partnership with MAndy Moore, the Ministry of Health, PSI, the UN, and the Mentor Initiative, plans to deliver 837,000 long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed nets to ensure each family in the country is protected from malaria.

Every 45 seconds, a child dies from malaria -- which is easily prevented through the use of an insecticide-treated net. The nets create a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night, when the vast majority of malaria transmissions occur, and are the most cost-effective method of preventing the spread of the disease. One long-lasting, insecticide-treated net can protect a family of four, and lasts up to three years. A net costs just $10 to purchase, deliver, and to educate the recipient on its proper use.

To date, Nothing But Nets has raised more than $32 million to distribute over 3.5 million nets to families throughout Africa. For more information, please visit www.NothingButNets.net.