We recently heard from malaria advocate extraordinaire, Linda Wajda. She updated us on the activities that she has spearheaded in her community since she attended our Action Summit to End Malaria earlier this year in Washington, D.C.
“I have the blessing of leading a senior high small group at my church in Warwick, New York,” says Linda, who attended the Action Summit with her 14-year-old son, Peter. At the Action Summit, they learned more about the threat that malaria poses to children around the world, and participated in advocacy training to prepare them to meet with their
From left to right, the Warwick Sr. High Youth Missions and Justice team: Peter Wajda, Nate Yount, Emma Soto, Amanda Sakac, Emily Mears, Kathryn Fernandez and Casey Mears.
malaria poses to children around the world, and participated in advocacy training to prepare them to meet with their legislators. Then they participated in a Lobby Day, meeting with their members of Congress to advocate for malaria funding.
Community Day and Night of Nets
Linda and Peter became passionate about ending malaria when they found out how simple, inexpensive interventions can save lives. Below Linda explains what her group committed to doing to get the message out to the Warwick community and beyond doing to get the message out to the Warwick community and beyond.
“We did a community action day in August and went around our town and put up flyers advertising a Night of Nets (malaria awareness and fundraising event); distributing End Malaria drink coasters in local restaurants and bars and giving out large smashed mosquito window clings. Then we hosted a Night of Nets event on September 10, drawing people from Warwick and the surrounding communities. With a live performance by a local recording artist who donated proceeds from the sale of her CD’s, the event drew a sizable crowd and raised money for bed nets.”
End Malaria at the local fall festival
Most people would consider that a stopping point. But not Linda and her crew. They continued leading the charge by putting their End Malaria booth and basketball shooting game into the mix at the local fall festival.
“On October 3, the youth group had a booth at Apple Fest in Warwick N.Y., with space devoted to malaria awareness. Visitors to the booth played a large electronic basketball game; people could shoot hoops for a donation to the cause,” Linda explains.
With these three events in one small community, the youth group raised almost $2,500 for the malaria cause, which they will donate to World Vision’s Operation Safety Net program, currently raising funds for a Mozambique bed net distribution.
We applaud the efforts of passionate advocates like Linda and her son Peter Wajda and the entire Warwick team!
