Student Reach International has developed a partnership with SoChange, whose vision is;

To change the way people see and choose to invest in the world and to provide unlimited opportunity for those in need. And to imagine and work towards a world where extreme poverty is eliminated, human rights are respected, and the impact of HIV/AIDS is significantly reduced.

Together, we are working on providing secondary schools with the opportunity of hosting a show where David Peck and others will entertain and inform students. The pilot show will be held in Guelph, Ontario at John F. Ross on February 24th, 2008. More details will be posted here as the project develops. If you have any questions, contact fred@student-reach.com.

About the Mosquitoes Suck Tour

In 2006, Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronach partnered with UNICEF in spearheading the “Spread the Net” (STN) campaign, an awareness and fundraising initiative aiming to alleviate the devastating effects of malaria on the African continent. Since then, numerous individuals, schools, and community groups have latched on to the momentum created by STN, and started running associated events contributing to the cause.

SoChange is an organization that seeks to empower the non-governmental community by providing capacity-building services such as consulting, fundraising, and event planning. As an association with a clear vision to alleviate social injustices around the world, we are naturally concerned that malaria – a disease that is relatively controllable – caused nearly one million deaths worldwide in 2006 (WHO World Malaria Report 2008). With this stark fact in mind, SoChange’s decision to contribute to the STN campaign as a third-party is based on the belief that it’s a drive that has realistic, achievable goals, while also leaving room for creative public engagement.

The MST involves students participating in a “buy-in” presentation, which is both entertaining and educational in nature. Specifically, the presentation would include performances by well-known comedian and magician, followed by a short talk by a SoChange staff member on the malaria crisis. Funds raised by the buy-in would go towards UNICEF’s Africa bed-net provision program, with a set minimal amount going towards SoChange’s operational costs.

Overall, the MST presents a unique opportunity to students to contribute to and learn about malaria sufferers, while also having a fun time. Additionally, SoChange would extend an offer to individual teachers to develop a lesson plan to go along with the presentation. If you are interested in learning more about malaria, STN and the MST, I encourage you to visit the websites listed below, and contact me via any of the listed options.

View SoChange's flyer for The Mosquitoes Suck Tour [PDF, 4.4 MB]

For more information about the Mosquitoes Suck tour, contact: