United Against Malaria

The Global Fund is a key partner of 'United Against Malaria' (UAM), a campaign led by Comic Relief, Johns Hopkins University, Malaria No More, ONE, PSI, PATH, Roll Back Malaria and the UN Foundation to raise awareness of malaria. UAM envisions a bold partnership leveraging in-country progress, football fever and the events and activities leading up to the first World Cup in Africa to intensify the political and popular will needed to end preventable malaria deaths by 2015. The Global Fund is working closely with UAM to provide support in several areas related to advocacy, media and overall communications for the campaign and has been selected as the sole fund recipient of revenue earned from fundraising activities.

The objective of UAM is to turn the tide on a disease that kills an African child every thirty seconds by the next World Cup in 2014. UAM aims to change people’s behavior by encouraging families to sleep under nets and take other steps to beat the disease. It also aims to drive concrete action from African corporate and political leaders to tackle malaria in the run up to the World Cup in South Africa.

United Against Malaria has already gained serious momentum with pledges for support announced by football teams and celebrities including singer Bono, actress Ashley Judd and philanthropist Melinda Gates. The national team of Ghana recently joined the campaign, joining Ireland, the USA and many more across Africa that have already confirmed their commitment. RSC Anderlecht will also join club teams such as FC Barcelona, already associated with the fight against malaria.

Footballers such as Landon Donovan, Seydou Keita, Freddie Kanoute and legends of the game such as Roger Milla are using their voices to raise awareness about the disease through public service announcements, events and a variety of other means.