Malaria in Africa: Designing an End to the Cycle of Poverty

Today is Blog Action Day 2008, and Primal Media is joining with thousands of socially-conscious bloggers to raise awareness about a single issue: poverty.

I'd like to take this day to talk about malaria, poverty and the power of marketing for non-profits.

Making the Connection

Recently we've started working with NetsforLife, an Episcopal Relief and Development non-profit partnership program that works to prevent, recognize and treat malaria in Africa.

This is how we learned of the link between malaria and poverty in Africa. 

Malaria: A Cycle of Poverty 

Photo © Ron HavivMalaria is both a disease of poverty and a cause of poverty.

In malaria-endemic countries in Africa, 300-500 million people get sick from malaria every year.

Malaria accounts for up to half of all hospital admissions and outpatient visits in Africa.

Every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies from malaria.

In addition to the burden on the health system, malaria costs Africa $12 billion in lost productivity each year.

This represents a crippling 1.3% annual loss in GDP growth in countries where malaria is endemic. 

Malaria disproportionately affects the rural poor who can't afford bed nets for prevention or access appropriate treatments when they fall sick. It makes children too sick to go to school and prevents their parents from working, decreasing productivity and household incomes and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. 

The Challenge for Non-Profits 

It's estimated that betwen $1.9 and $3 billion is needed annually to control malaria in Africa. Currently, only half that much is given. 

NetsforLife is part of an international community that is working together to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to cut extreme poverty and malaria in half by 2015.

The challenge for NetsforLife and other non-profits is how to move beyond donor fatigue to raise awareness and encourage people to get involved in the fight against malaria in Africa.  

The Power of Marketing 

The solution is to connect with donors through effective design and marketing.

After all, people have choices: in the US alone, the number of nonprofit organizations has nearly doubled since 1996 to more than 1.4 million. 

In order to connect with donors, non-profits need to create a compelling story and show how giving can make a difference.

How to Market Non-Profits in 3 Easy Steps

Inspired by Katya Andresen great tips on how to market non-profits, here are 3 ways we are helping NetsforLife make the connection: 

1. Make it Personal
The decision to give is emotionally based. Numbers and statistics, while compelling, can overwhelm people and prevent them from donating. 

Bring it down to the level of the individual.

For NetsforLife, this means telling the story of how malaria affects a single child or a pregnant mother. It means photos of real people and regular updates from the field. Malaria is a big problem, but a single insecticide-treated bed net can save the life of a child.    

2. Make it Unique
With so many orgnaizations out there, it's important for non-profits to develop their brand messages around how they are different. 

There are some great organizations out there fighting malaria, including Malaria No More and Nothing But Nets. NetsforLife is unique because:

• NetsforLife goes "to the end of the road" to fight malaria where help is needed most.
• NetsforLife is a faith-based partnership working through churches. Fatih-based organizations have proven to be more effective at fighting malaria because they are part of the community.
• NetsforLife doesn't just drop off nets - they instill a net culture. For every 10 nets distributed, 1 person goes out and buys a net on their own.   

3. Make a Difference
Donors need to believe they can make a difference. It's critical for non-profits to share their successes and show how donors are making a difference.

For NetsforLife, this means sharing the results of distributing insecticide-treated bed nets and educating people about malaria. It means talking about how churches are empowering communities in Africa, where nearly 1 million nets have been distributed and 9.8 million people helped thanks to NetsforLife initiatives. 

Next Steps

If you'd like to know more about NetsforLife and how they are making a difference in Africa, check out their website. 

And check back here at our blog for more updates as we work to make the NetsforLife website a more effective marketing tool in the fight against malaria. 

We welcome your thoughts about poverty, malaria, and marketing non-profits.