Dawes Turns Up the Volume in the Fight Against Malaria

Rock band Dawes will visit refugee camps in Rwanda next week with the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign to help raise awareness and funds to fight malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Guitarist and vocalist Taylor Goldsmith, drummer Griffin Goldsmith, bassist Wylie Gelber, and keyboardist Tay Strathairn will help distribute life-saving bed nets to help protect refugee families from malaria — and perform with local musicians. Refugees in the region are fleeing conflict in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. The band will also meet with officials from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to learn about the humanitarian situation there.

“Refugees already face incredibly difficult conditions,” said Chris Helfrich, Director of Nothing But Nets. “These families fleeing violence shouldn’t have to worry about a deadly mosquito bite. Every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria — but a simple bed net can keep them safe. Through the trip to Rwanda and beyond, Nothing But Nets and Dawes will raise awareness among the band’s fans and inspire them to send nets and save lives.”

“Nothing But Nets’ mission is simple, but makes a real difference,” said Taylor Goldsmith. “A $10 bed net is all it takes to give a family hope. We believe no child should die from a preventable disease like malaria.”

Nothing But Nets has worked with UNHCR since 2008 to provide vulnerable refugee families fleeing conflict or natural disasters with insecticide-treated mosquito nets to keep them safe from malaria. Together, they have provided more than 1 million bed nets to refugees living in camps across Africa; as a result, malaria dropped from the leading killer of refugees to the number five cause of death.

Since 2006, Nothing But Nets has raised more than $45 million from hundreds of thousands of grassroots supporters, and sent over 7 million bed nets to families across Africa. Anyone — from students to CEOs — can help protect families in Africa from malaria. To learn more and to donate, visit www.NothingButNets.net.

TWEET THIS: .@NothingButNets is distributing bed nets to #refugees in Rwanda w/ @dawestheband. Help them fight #malaria! http://bit.ly/WAVeFV

Dawes’ much-anticipated third album, Stories Don’t End, will be released April 9, and is available for pre-order.

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About Nothing But Nets

Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. Inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, hundreds of thousands of people have joined the campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006. Campaign partners include the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, The people of The United Methodist Church, and Major League Soccer’s MLS W.O.R.K.S. It only costs $10 to provide an insecticide-treated bed net that can prevent this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to send a net and save a life.

About The United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.