The idea of NETwork Against Malaria began when we met Fr. Mujule, a priest who has come to serve the Diocease of Belleville from the diocease of Hoima in Uganda. Fr. Mujule began 2 girls' schools and a co-ed secondary school. Educating "the girl-child" is not valued in Uganda ; his efforts were met with much resistance. Fr. Mujule is undoubtedly a national treasure of Uganda , and in spite of their poverty, they gave him up to come serve us.
Fr. Mujule represented a Ugandan view of Malaria as he discussed his frustration with the disease. In Uganda, Malaria hospitalizes one out of every 2 children under age 5, costs every Ugandan family about ¼ of their annual income, causes children to miss about 60 days of school every year, and claims the life of one Ugandan child every 5 minutes. Malaria propagates the problem of poverty in countless ways.
Fr. Mujule is not only frustrated by the drastic effects of the problem, he is also frustrated because it does not have to be this way. Malaria is preventable.
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