Faiths Act

The UN Millennium Development Goals are a commitment by the international community to build a better world. But it is action that is needed, not just words. And at the present rate of progress, these noble goals will not be met by the 2015 deadline as promised. We need to waken the world's conscience again.

Faith groups have been in the forefront of winning public and political support for such ambitious action. They are also playing a major role in delivering progress on the ground. But with their global reach, they could even achieve more by acting together. Our ambition is that, across the world and for the MDGs, Faiths Act.

The Foundation will join with other partners to mobilise faith groups to step up pressure on Governments to deliver fully on their MDG commitments. It will also encourage the increased use of mosques, churches and other places of worship to ensure this funding transforms lives.

In particular, the Foundation will focus on the MDG goal of ending deaths from malaria. The disease kills over a million vulnerable people every year, mainly young children and women in Africa. It costs Africa over $12 billion a year in health costs and lost productivity, making poor countries even poorer. Worldwide, there are more than 350 million malaria infections each year. More than 1 million of these cases end in death; others scar their victims for life with permanent brain damage.

There is no reason for a million deaths a year from this disease. Malaria is preventable and treatable. The good news is we know that the distribution of bed nets and improved medical treatment and health education can slash this shameful death toll quickly and cost effectively.

There is no greater way in which we can demonstrate the good that faith groups can do than by coming together to end deaths from malaria. It is a great moral cause. And we want you to help us. The dream is to put every church and mosque in each African country ravaged by malaria in the front-line in battling the disease, distributing bed nets and as centres for health education.

The Foundation will work to raise funds to meet by 2010 the shortfall in the supply of bed nets identified by the UN Secretary-General - the biggest single step to cutting the death toll. But many more lives will be saved if children are tucked into their bed nets each night, the nets are kept impregnated, we train the local community to diagnose malaria early and drugs are available to treat it.

So the Foundation will partner faith groups to train local people to distribute the nets, teach how to use them properly and recognise the early signs of malaria. A volunteer programme for young people from Africa and beyond will be started to help.

The goal is twofold: to raise money for 1 million life-saving bed nets by September 25 2008; and to use the issue to forge ties between faiths. We are working with our partners Malaria No More and Interfaith Youth Core to make this happen. And there is already some inspiring work happening on the ground.

We need your support and your commitment. Just as the mosquitoes don't distinguish between faiths in choosing their victims, neither can we in providing a solution. By working together, we can end the scourge of malaria deaths and take a huge step in lifting millions out of poverty. It is a goal within our grasp. All we need is the will. Get Involved!