Encouragement of Knowledge Sharing Regarding Malaria

Abstract

I worked with individuals in Sanambele, Mali, in order to determine if they were interested in sharing their knowledge of malaria prevention with neighboring villages. Malaria is the number one cause of death for children under the age of five in Sub-Saharan Africa. The class I worked with has had success in eliminating malaria in the village of Sanambele, which has been nearly malaria free since 2009. Now, the biggest threat to that status is the potential for malaria to be reintroduced to Sanambele from the surrounding villages. The course uses a methodology that places aims to reduce the colonizing effects that are present in nearly every “international aid” organization. The “holistic method”, as it is called, aims to have the community direct all work that is done. This is so that the presuppositions of researchers do not place a burden on the desires of the community. For my part, I talked often with several individuals who live in and around Sanambele through email and Skype. I also spent countless hours studying relevant literature in order to see if other institutions have had success with similar methods of international cooperation.