Team Tana Netting Against Malaria left for Cape Town
Today, Liz de Jong and Laura Bos of Team Tana Netting Against Malaria, started their journey from Amsterdam to Cape Town as one of the 23 teams in the Orange Trophy rally.
The Orange Trophy, an overland rally from Amsterdam to Cape Town, will over the next 12 weeks make its way to the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Beginning April 3, a convoy of 23 bright orange vehicles will capture the attention of European and African spectators, as they make their way through the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa and Lesotho. The mission: adventure, advocacy and highlighting the positive side of the African continent.
In rainy conditions, the 23 Orange Trophy teams were seen off by many friends and African dance and music at the Olympic Stadion in Amsterdam. With great enthusiasm chairm
an of NOC*NSF, Erica Terpstra expressed her support for this initiative and wished the teams a safe journey to South Africa.
Team Tana Netting Against Malaria will raise awareness about malaria in four European and 13 African countries. They will take up this mission in a Mercedes-Benz 290 GD emblazoned with mosquitoes to spread the message that malaria, Africa’s number one killer, is preventable. Behind the wheel are Laura Bos and Liz De Jong, two passionate young Dutch women who are eager to raise awareness both on the road and among their countrymen in the Netherlands.
The teammates are a perfect fit for this assignment. Laura recently finished her masters degree in International Public Health, for which she performed research in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. She is keen on working in public health in Africa following the journey. Liz, a flight attendant for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, loves traveling and exploring new places. Her photography skills will come in handy to share Team Tana Netting Against Malaria’s experiences with the world.
En route, Team Tana Netting Against Malaria will engage in a number of activities to promote 
malaria awareness and education. For example, in Kenya, the team will participate in a women’s football match being organized in the suburbs of Nairobi and will provide DawaPlus 2.0 long-lasting nets to each member of the opposing team. Liz and Laura will also visit several projects being supported by Malaria No More! Netherlands, to see first-hand how local communities are dealing with the malaria threat.
The sponsorship of Team Tana Netting Against Malaria is part of Tana Netting’s long-standing commitment to making a positive contribution to its communities. The company, headquartered in Thailand operates in a socially and environmentally friendly manner. Tana Netting frequently supports projects to improve the quality of life both in Thailand and in its overseas markets. In 2009, for example, the company supported projects in Thailand, Asia and Africa, including a 5,000 net donation to a Malaria No More! Netherlands sponsored project in rural Nakasongola district, Uganda. In addition, Tana Netting is an active participant in the international malaria community; the company is a member of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and the Alliance for Malaria Prevention.
Team Tana Netting Against Malaria will be communicating their progress along the way through a number of channels. Liz and Laura will post photos, videos and blog entries on the Orange Trophy website (in Dutch) and Hyves, the Dutch social media network (in Dutch and English). In addition, the team will write about their experiences in Sp!ts, a Dutch daily newspaper. Both Malaria No More! Netherlands and Tana Netting will keep readers abreast of Liz and Laura’s latest whereabouts on their website and through their social networks such as Twitter, Hyves and Facebook.
