C.O champions malaria fight
Art is not all about entertainment. It is also about using that art to speak for the voiceless as well as spreading different messages including health to the society.
Musician and former Big Brother Africa (BBA) representative C.O. real name Code Sangala has been using his talent taking up a leading role in fighting malaria.
Since he participated in the reality show Big Brother Africa, C.O has taken up the challenge of fighting malaria through the Make Malawi Malaria Free initiative.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by parasiticprotozoans and the disease causes symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue, vomiting and headache.
The risk of the disease can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites by using mosquito nets and insect repellents or other measures such as spraying insecticides.
It is in this vein that C.O has been running up and down mobilising mosquito nets to distribute to people so as to prevent the risk of the disease.
He has since received 61 mosquito nets valued at US$ 500 which is a donation from St Johns Episcopal Church in Michigan, USA. The donation was made through the Blantyre Malaria Project on Monday.
“I have always championed the fight against malaria. This is a disease we need to prevent and I want to penetrate the country spreading messages but also distributing nets. The challenge has been lack of resources but I am thankful that I have managed to get 61 mosquito nets from a church in USA, Michigan,” said C.O.
He said he will distribute the nets during his upcoming shows to be held at Blue Elephant in Blantyre on May 30, Doogles on June 26 and July 31 at Chez Macky.
“The idea is to hold shows across Malawi but at the moment I can only do it in Blantyre. I just want to thank Carlsberg Malawi for their support on the shows. Carlsberg will have brand activities during the show and at Blue Elephant it will be a Chill Night with C.O where the first 40 people will get a free Chill beer and a free mosquito net,” said the singer and guitarist.
He said 40 mosquito nets will be distributed at Blue Elephant with the remaining number to be distributed to the other venues.
The musician, who hinted that he is set to release a new album having successfully launched his other album Solo The Album last year said he wants the country to be free of malaria and called on other players to assist him with resources to reach out to many people.
“I want to use music in fighting malaria but I do not have the resources and so my appeal to well wishers is let them help me in this fight,” said the artist, who also took time to visit a malaria bleeding area.
Blantyre Malaria Project Administrator Esther Gondwe hailed C.O. for taking up the malaria fight initiative as an artist saying he was championing a cause they were also championing.
“As Blantyre Malaria Project the donation came through us from US, C.O met our director Terrie Taylor and shared his malaria initiative during one of the social gatherings and linked with Professor Sue Carter who later raised money through her church amounting to $ 500.
This money was sent to Blantyre Malaria Project which is affiliated to College of Medicine and undertakes malaria research, so we bought mosquito nets at Population Services International (PSI) which we have given to C.O and he will distribute to people through his shows,” said Gondwe.
She said Carter, who is a professor of Journalism but was also ordained as a priest, once visited Malawi and managed to write several stories on malaria hence making a move to assist C.O.
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