Etisalat sets up anti-malaria clubs in schools

As part of its commitment to the fight the scourge of malaria in the country, one of the nation’s  telecommunications  companies, Etisalat, has announced plans to set up Fight Malaria Clubs across Secondary schools in Nigeria.

The Fight Malaria Clubs initiative will be established in Etisalat adopted schools across  the country and is designed to  educate secondary  students on what it will take to eliminate the prevalence of malaria in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the establishment of these clubs will help to meet the strategic priorities and approaches that will facilitate the dissemination of advocacy tools and information for empowerment against malaria.

These approaches will include regular activities which will be organised for the students such as training sessions, conferences talks by experts, internal and external competitions which will be used to disseminate information to the students.

Speaking on this initiative,  Director, Regulatory and Corporate Social Responsibility, Etisalat Nigeria, Ikenna Ikeme, explained that the company would  begin with two of its adopted schools; Akande Dahunsi Memorial Junior and Senior Secondary School and they would  serve as a pilot for the project.

“We have also identified an implementing partner to drive this project and plan to roll out subsequently to our other adopted schools soon,” he stated.

According to him, Etisalat decided to set up these clubs in order to establish fundamental change in attitudes, and understanding of the harmful effects of malaria which result in the high rate of deaths in Nigeria. The purpose of the Fight Malaria school clubs is to help create change in behaviour in households, through informing and educating school children on how to control malaria, he concluded.

With the establishment of the clubs, Etisalat will work with the schools to train the students, helping them acquire skills in using technology and other means to fight malaria, for personal and community impact.

They will also learn how to implement malaria prevention programs in their various homes, surroundings and community at large. Vital to this will be the mobilisation of their peers and other community members to take action that will help to prevent and control malaria; and by leveraging technology (social media and blogging) they can also promote malaria prevention messages.

Etisalat Nigerias Corporate & Social Responsibility interventions are built on a tripod of Health, Education and Environmental sustainability.