Rock band Dawes is visiting refugee camps in Rwanda this 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 more than 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.
