Malaria Education in Umalulu Strengthens Rural Health Systems
malaria awareness, malaria prevention, health education, community outreach, disease control
For one week, Fair Future Foundation and Kawan Baik Indonesia, in collaboration with the Melolo Health Centre team (Puskesmas), embarked on a mission across the hills of East Sumba to impart crucial malaria education and preventative measures to rural families. Each morning, our dedicated field teams would set up tents, transforming small open spaces into vibrant classrooms filled with eager learners.
During our sessions, we covered the modes of malaria transmission*, symptom identification, and the urgent necessity of seeking timely medical care. Through engaging methods such as posters, interactive games, and open discussions, we effectively communicated that straightforward practices, including using mosquito nets, eliminating stagnant water, and wearing protective clothing at dusk, can safeguard entire families from this debilitating disease.
Every day, our team conducted numerous rapid tests and prepared blood slides for analysis. Prompt medical care was provided to those who tested positive. In these isolated regions, enhancing diagnostic capabilities is critical to disrupting the infection cycle.
By the end of the week, nearly 450 insecticide-treated mosquito nets had been distributed, each serving as a protective shield for children, mothers, and grandparents, and a step toward achieving a malaria-free life.
This initiative forms a crucial part of the East Sumba Malaria Prevention Project 2025, which integrates community education, laboratory training, indoor mosquito spraying, and enduring partnerships with local authorities. These efforts support East Sumba’s ambition to eradicate malaria by 2028 through tangible, effective interventions.
In every village we visited, what stood out was the prevalent spirit of curiosity, courage, and real solutions; transformed into life-saving knowledge. The Swiss expertise and 16 years of foundational dedication underscore the efficacy of these efforts, which have made significant contributions to global health improvements.
We cordially invite all captivated by this story to explore our photo gallery, witness this extraordinary effort, and further engage with our mission through our Instagram account.
* Malaria is transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which then transfers the Plasmodium parasites to a human, causing infection.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – The 8th October, 2025
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