There's More Problems Than AIDs Here

Although PHF is focused on providing education to children affected by the AIDs crisis, and while AIDs truely is ravaging most of sub-Saharan Africa, there are other evils at work here. Like malaria. Did you know that malaria kills 1,000,000 people per year, most of them African children under the age of 5? Bill and Melinda Gates did and now they fund more than 1/3 of the world's entire malaria research. Wow. Research is focused on developing a vaccine as well as a synthetic form of the most effective drug treatment.

What's amazing is their "radical" notion that every life should have equal value, that a treatment that can save a million African lives is worthwhile. What's amazing is that they could have funded an infinite number of causes, but they've chosen to help those who are so often overlooked by the powers that be in this world. What's amazing is that those powers that be consider their views about human life "radical". Yes, they've got $29 billion to make their point--but they're inspiring individuals, corporations, and governments to meet the challenge.

I don't normally pay much attention to the corporate world, and I'm suspicious of looking at people as "heroes" but I think Bill and Melinda Gates are certainly setting the bar high for all of us, no matter what our financial status. Even Jimmy Carter, who I definitely admire, has said that theirs is the most important foundation in the world.

By the way, the mosquito that transmits the malaria virus comes out at night. The best way to prevent malaria is to wear repellant after dark and sleep under a treated net. Even an untreated net would make a big difference. The nets alone would save thousands of lives every year--but most people cannot afford them.