EDEN DERVAN FOUNDATION

A few years ago on my journeys to Africa, I visited a small village on approximately 50 miles south of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra-Leone. It was at this village that I witnessed firsthand, the dreaded effects of one of Africa's number one killer diseases-Malaria.

A little girl lay in her mother's hands, slowly writhing in pain and agony as a malaria claimed another victim. My mind wandered to my god children living in the western world; Children young as this little girl that was right in front of me. I wondered what I would do if one of my god children was this little girl; And the more I felt pity towards her and her family, the more I realised that this little girl was indeed one of my children. There is a saying in Africa that it takes a village to raise a child. As a visitor to the village, I was one among them and this child, like countless other children, was one of mine as well.

I either had to act or be a spectator in the malaria killing fields. To cut a long story short, the little girl was taken to the capital city where the only drugs in the city were, and her life was saved. Today, this little girl is a well behaved 8 year old girl whose smile every time I see encourages me to do more, to make a difference wherever I can. Out of this little girl's smile arose the Eden Dervan Foundation.

Think for a moment about how many stories you’ve already told today to your spouse or partner; to your children; to your colleagues; or to your friends. Stories are the currency of our lives; They are the measure of our days. We are nothing without our stories, because stories encapsulate our fears, our failures, our dreams, and our desires. We understand and make sense of our own lives by telling stories about ourselves and others. People who can’t tell stories, like those afflicted with malaria, are lost to us.

Global efforts over the last decades have contributed to dramatic declines in malaria around the world. Progress is also being made on the scientific front; new tools for controlling the disease are now being tested. By investing in proven malaria-control programs and accelerating promising research, we can move closer to the long-term goal of eradicating the disease. The Eden Dervan Foundation is committed to partaking in the eradication of this disease and has embarked on immunisation programmes in and around many villages in Sierra Leone. We all can have an impact. We must take our stories and turn them into potent barbs to fight dogmatism and bigotry. We all have duty to help in combating Malaria. For more information visit http://www.edendervan.org/