About the Project
The project consisted of providing treated mosquito nets and malaria medications for vulnerable community residents who were affected by recent floods in the region.
Location
Munami Village, Matungu Subcounty, Kakamega County, Kenya
Quick Project Stats
| Funding Date | June – July 2024 |
| Luena Investment | $1,000 |
| CBO Partner | Matungu Community Development Charity (MCDC) |
| Village | Munami |
| Country | Kenya |
| # of Children Impacted | 500 |
| Community Contribution | manual labor |
Community Health Threatened by Malaria
Malaria trends in Western Uganda are increasingly influenced by climate change, particularly through the impact of flooding. Here’s how these changes are unfolding:
- Increased Mosquito Breeding Sites: Flooding creates stagnant water pools, which are ideal breeding grounds for Anopheles mosquitoes, the primary vectors of malaria. As flooding becomes more frequent and severe due to climate change, the number of potential breeding sites increases, leading to higher mosquito populations.
- Extended Transmission Seasons: Warmer temperatures and altered rainfall patterns associated with climate change can extend the malaria transmission season. In Western Uganda, this means that malaria, which was traditionally more seasonal, could become a year-round threat.
- Geographic Expansion: Flooding can also lead to the expansion of malaria into areas previously considered low-risk or malaria-free. As water bodies expand and new habitats for mosquitoes are created, higher-altitude regions in Western Uganda may begin to experience malaria outbreaks.
- Human Displacement and Vulnerability: Flooding often displaces communities, forcing people to relocate to temporary shelters with poor sanitation and limited access to healthcare. This displacement increases human exposure to mosquitoes and reduces the ability to manage and treat malaria effectively.
- Impact on Healthcare Systems: Increased malaria cases due to flooding can overwhelm local healthcare systems, especially in rural areas of Western Uganda. This strain can lead to shortages of antimalarial drugs, diagnostic tools, and healthcare personnel, further exacerbating the problem.
- Resistance and Adaptation Challenges: The combination of climate change and flooding may also accelerate the development of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes and drug resistance in malaria parasites, making control efforts more challenging.
- Socioeconomic Factors: Flooding often disrupts agriculture and livelihoods, increasing poverty and malnutrition. Malnourished individuals, particularly children, are more susceptible to severe malaria, leading to higher mortality rates.The impact of floods on children is disastrous; schools have been closed, many children are extremely malnourished, and the incidence of Malaria is skyrocketing. Preventive measures and treatment for malaria can be difficult to access, especially for a community with very low economic resources that is further impacted by flooding.
The impact of recent floods on children has been disastrous; schools have been closed, many children are extremely malnourished, and the incidence of malaria has skyrocketed. Preventive measures and treatment for malaria can be difficult to access, especially for a community with very low economic resources that is further impacted by flooding.
Nets and Treatment Protect Children
The donation from Luena Foundation was used to purchase and deliver 250 insecticide-treated mosquito nets and 250 doses of Malaria drugs to affected households. The treated nets prevented children from receiving mosquito bites that transmitted Malaria. This community is extremely poor, and when diagnosed with Malaria, residents often can’t afford to pay for the treatment.
Meet our Partner Community-Based Organization
Matungu Community Development Charity is committed to the promotion of people’s active participation in ameliorating their environment, livelihood, and health and, by extension, that of their communities.
To learn more about our partner organization, click here.
