Wartburg Malaria Initiative assists ELCA effort to eradicate disease
September 21, 2012
By Kristin Canning
A weekday chapel message was all the inspiration Kelsey Nulph ’14 needed to start the campus-wide, three-tiered Wartburg Malaria Initiative.
Jessica Nipp Hacker ’98, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Malaria Campaign manager, spoke to students about the mission it undertook beginning in August 2011 to eradicate the mosquito-spread disease.
“I remember very clearly that Jessica shared that a child dies every 45 seconds of malaria. I was shocked to hear how malaria was claiming the lives of so many and yet was a preventable and treatable disease,” Nulph said. “In that moment, I realized I wanted to get involved in the ELCA’s work to eradicate malaria.”
The ELCA is working with 12 countries in Africa to provide mosquito nets, medicine to treat malaria, training for health care providers, education for people on how to protect themselves from mosquitoes, and how to recognize symptoms and seek treatment.
Hacker told Nulph, a religion major from Batavia, Ill., about an opportunity to involve college campuses. “I decided that it was a perfect fit for Wartburg’s campus community,” Nulph said.
She talked with various campus organizations to gather support for the campaign, including Spiritual Life and Campus Ministry, the Center for Community Engagement, Alumni and Parent Relations, the Volunteer Action Center, the athletic department and student programming.
She then submitted grant proposals and received both a social media grant and one that covers programming costs. The grants were made possible through donations from the Sorenson family with money raised by the college to be matched 100 percent.
The focus of the Wartburg Malaria Initiative is to spread malaria awareness throughout the community and raise money for mosquito nets and medication in a three-tiered campaign.
“The initiative is working on connecting areas across the whole campus, from the athletic programs to classes in which students are given the opportunity to learn more about malaria, and to then engage in service projects and fundraising opportunities,” Nulph said.
The second tier involves students painting glass jars to be sold and used as coin collectors. The spare change will be matched and donated to the ELCA Malaria Campaign.
Wartburg Malaria Benefit Concert, featuring alumni and student performers, will be March 16 in Levick Arena — the third tier of the campaign programming.
“Our Wartburg community encompasses such a large amount of talent, passion and resources,” Nulph said. “Our community embraces the opportunity to actively fight against injustices present within our world.”
Nulph encourages students and faculty to get involved by lending a hand in one of the service components, talking to community members, volunteering to help organize an event, or sending prayers and positive support toward the initiative.
Because the Wartburg Malaria Initiative is working in cooperation with the ELCA Malaria Campaign, all money raised through Wartburg’s initiative will go directly to the ELCA Malaria Campaign. The ELCA goal is to raise $15 million by 2015.
“Malaria is a preventable and curable disease. Malaria can be eradicated so that no child, no woman or man — simply no one — has to die from a single mosquito bite,” Nulph said.
“Whether it’s a monetary donation, a donation of time, talent or prayer, our community has been given an incredible opportunity to join hands with the ELCA, to make a difference in the lives of our sisters and brothers in Africa.”