Gutierrez to Visit Africa with Nothing But Nets Campaign
Gutierrez and De Rosario traveling to Mali
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Dec. 6, 2007) – Chicago Fire defender Diego Gutierrez, the 2007 U.S. Soccer Foundation – MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and his wife Ginna will travel to Mali, Africa on Dec. 9 in their continued efforts with Nothing But Nets, a global, grassroots campaign to prevent malaria. Gutierrez will be accompanied by Dwayne De Rosario of the Houston Dynamo, as well as key partners from Nothing But Nets and the United Nations Foundation, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the American and Canadian Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, Malaria No More, and numerous local non-governmental, faith-based organizations. Gutierrez will contribute stories and photographs from his experiences in
“My wife and I are extremely excited to represent the Chicago Fire and Major League Soccer during this trip to
From Dec. 9-17, 2007, Gutierrez and De Rosario will participate in an observation in an observation trip for MLS W.O.R.K.S., led by the UN Foundation, to observe the distribution of over two million long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets to children and their families. In
“Hopefully the stories, footage, and photographs we bring back will help us inform and educate people on how they can make a difference” said Gutierrez.
The efforts will be part of a national integrated child health campaign conducted by the Government of Mali and its local and global partners, targeting over 2.8 million children under the age of five. The mission of the campaign is to provide long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, de-worming medication, measles and polio vaccinations, and vitamin A.
About Nothing But Nets
Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in
To date, the Campaign has engaged more than 60,000 individuals, raised more than $16 million and will have distributed more than to 700,000 nets by the end of 2007.
About MLS W.O.R.K.S.
MLS W.O.R.K.S. was launched April 2, 2007 and is Major League Soccer's first league-wide community outreach initiative dedicated to addressing important social issues affecting young people. MLS W.O.R.K.S. serves as a platform for both league and team philanthropic programs. Specific areas of focus include health and wellness, education, respect, fair play, leadership, human rights and diversity with an emphasis on programs and initiatives directed at school-aged children. For more information visit the website at www.MLSnet.com/works.
