Volunteers from the organization End Malaria Now plan to have a continued presence on Rio Hondo College to further relief efforts.

End Malaria Now is a non-profit organization located in Manhattan Beach. The organization provides disadvantaged people in areas of Africa with bed nets to prevent the spread of Malaria.

Malaria is an infectious disease spread by mosquitos. The disease cause fever, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, and in serious cases can cause seizures, coma and even death. The main form of prevention is avoiding disease-spreading mosquitoes.

“We are trying to save lives of people in need of help,” Luis Aparicio, volunteer for EMN, explains. Aparicio joined the organization because he “wanted to help people out,” and assist disadvantaged people in need. Aparicio hopes students at Rio Hondo that see the EMN booth will donate and contribute a “good deed,” that benefits the cause.

“It is by far easier to stop something from happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it happens,” reads EMN’s mission statement. The organization’s primary mission is educate potential donors that disease is easily preventable.

Kierra Gibson, EMN Community Outreach specialist, explains that she joined because she “saw that it was so easily preventable.”

Gibson has been involved in the program for over two years, and through the charity has had hands-on work with Malaria prevention efforts in the Republic of Kenya.

Mosquito carriers are most prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas, including areas in Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, there were an estimated 214 millions reported cases of Malaria worldwide.

Malaria is the number one cause of death for children under the age of 5 in Africa. In 2012, there were 627,000 fatal cases of the disease, over 90% of which were recorded in Africa.

End Malaria Now will have a booth set up in the upper quad weekly this semester, and are available to take questions about malaria prevention and the organization’s mission, as well as collect student donations.