About Us & Our Bednet Initiative

In April 2006, I read an article(“Net Gains”) in the New York Times by Jeffrey D. Sachs, the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the author of "The End of Poverty." It was an article about the malaria disease and how insecticide-treated bednets can save millions of children in Africa who may otherwise die from malaria. This prompted me to organize together with my classmates and to make it our single-purpose focus to raise funds and awareness within our community on Staten Island to help save the lives of the poor children in Africa.

Freshman year at my high school, St. Joseph Hill Academy, when I approached my history teacher, Dr. Charles Kitts, I wasn’t sure how he would respond to my wanting to start a club, Global Vision, within our school. After learning about the malaria epidemic in Africa and the minimal cost to buy bed nets, one bed net costs about the same as a high school student lunch, I felt that I could easily raise money within my school and other local high schools. At first, it seemed like a great idea for me and I was confident and we would be able to establish one.

Dr. Kitts looked at the idea from a different perspective, pointing out the obstacles that were involved. Never pushing the idea to the side or saying it was impossible to do, Dr. Kitts, a humanitarian, only looked at me to see how committed and determined I was to succeed. And determined and committed I was to succeed at establishing Global Vision.

Global Vision was not easy for me to start. It did take time and commitment. I had to learn to be organized, monitor the funds raised and where they would best be utilized, develop a committee, and continuously think of new ways to raise funds. Today, my school club, Global Vision, raised over $10,000 for various communities in Africa. I have from this experience worked with UNICEF and the Millennium Promise and received a personal hand signed letter from President Clinton commending me for my humanitarian work.

My pride at establishing such a worthy organization is overwhelming. My experience of working with Dr. Kitts and developing this club has helped me to grow as a person, a humanitarian, and a student. I have learned that when you think you have done enough, you can always do more. I have learned that when you think you know a great deal on a subject, you can still find out more about it. I have learned to continue with what you believe in and see things through. I have learned that when you have the correct guidance, your commitment can be endless.

All funds and donations generated from this website are directly given to Malaria No More. When you click on this website to donate or to purchase bednets, you are directed to the Malaria No More website and your donation is made directly to it. Any checks which we collect from donors are payable to Malaria No More.