Ready Availability of Nets Helps Overcome Family’s Reluctance

The Freeman family lives in the Wellington community of Freetown.  The parents are happily married with 4 children – 2 girls and 2 boys with ages ranging from one year and 7 months to 8 years.  The family has seen better days and both parents earlier had jobs with wages that sustained them.  Due to a downturn in the economy, the mother Janet lost her job as a hair dresser and is currently looking for work.  Her husband, Arthur is a carpenter and is now working seven days a week to make ends meet.

The family did not use mosquito nets at all – in part because they could not afford them and in part because they did not believe in the effectiveness of nets as a measure of combating malaria.  The three older children and parents have had a history of malaria illness.  We had the opportunity to discuss their non-use of nets and highlight the effectiveness of nets in combating malaria.  This was supported by the testimony of a previous net recipient who has been free from mosquito bites and malaria for two months.

With all this in mind, they decided to give the nets a try.  The ready availability of five free nets helped them overcome their reluctance.  They have slept mosquito-bite free for two nights and are happy they gave the mosquito nets a try.

Thanks Farookh for providing these effective nets and helping protect the family from malaria.