United Methodists Committed to 200,000 Bed Nets for Cote d’Ivoire

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2007

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United Methodists Committed to 200,000 Bed Nets for Cote d'Ivoire

NEW YORK - At least 200,000 families in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa, will receive malaria-preventing mosquito nets from the people ofThe United Methodist Church, the president of the denomination's Council of Bishops told the Clinton Global Initiative today.

Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of Houston announced the denomination's Cote d'Ivoire project during the Clinton Initiative's annual meeting, where she is representing the people of The United Methodist Church--a founding partner in theNothing But Netsmalaria prevention campaign.

"The people of The United Methodist Church are engaged to save lives of children in Africa," Bishop Huie said. "Send a net, save a life, is a real-life example of United Methodists sharing the healing love of Jesus Christ in a hurting world."

The Cote d'Ivoire project will raise $1.5 million to purchase the insecticide-treated mosquito nets for areas of the country most affected by malaria. The Texas Conference hopes to raise $1 million by December 2008.

United Methodists in Huie's Texas (regional) Conference are partnering with United Methodists in Cote d'Ivoire to distribute the mosquito nets. Bishop Huie said members of a Texas Conference delegation learned during a recent trip to Cote d'Ivoire that the government considers malaria a top concern.

"Our visit to Cote d'Ivoire inspired us to action," Bishop Huie said. "With United Methodist congregations throughout the country, we have a ready-made distribution system for mosquito nets already in place."

Global health issues are a major focus of United Methodists around the world, who have already raised more than $1.75 million for Nothing But Nets.

In addition to United Methodists in Texas and Cote d'Ivoire, other partners in the project include United Methodist Communications and The United Nations Foundation.

About the Clinton Global Initiative

TheClinton Global Initiativeis a non-partisan catalyst for action, bringing together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to global problems.

In 2005, President Bill Clinton and the William J. Clinton Foundation launched the Clinton Global Initiative to help the world move beyond the current state of globalization to a more integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values.

The mission of the William J. Clinton Foundation, and the goal of the initiative, is to increase the benefits and reduce the burdens of global interdependence; to make a world of more partners and fewer enemies; and to give more people the tools they need to build a better future.

The Clinton Global Initiative is a non-partisan endeavor, bringing together a carefully selected group of the world's best minds and most distinguished problem solvers to focus on practical, effective measures that can be taken now. These leaders-from a wide variety of political, ideological, religious, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds-include current and former heads of state, top business executives, preeminent scholars, and representatives of key non-governmental organizations.