BANGKOK, 31 March 2010 – Tana Netting, one of the world’s leading mosquito net manufacturers, today announced sponsorship of a team in the Orange Trophy rally from Amsterdam to Cape Town.  Team Tana Netting Against Malaria will raise awareness about malaria in four European and 13 African countries.

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.

Team Tana Netting Against Malaria 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.

“Laura and I read an article about the Orange Trophy in our local newspaper and did not hesitate before taking our decision to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Africa,” said Liz De Jong. “We are excited about the long road ahead and look forward to achieving our ultimate goal: finishing this long journey together.”

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.

“We wanted to use our participation in the Orange Trophy as a way to contribute to public health on the African continent,” said Laura. “As it remains the number one public health problem in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on malaria just made sense. We are glad that Tana Netting is supporting us in our efforts to share this message with people back home.”

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.

“We are excited that Liz and Laura will be driving well over 10,000 kilometers flying the Tana Netting Against Malaria banner,” said Chris Messer, Tana Netting’s Global Marketing & Regulatory Affairs Manager. “The international public health community is racing towards achieving universal bednet coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa by its self-imposed deadline of 31 December 2010.  We hope that Team Tana Netting Against Malaria will generate the kind of public support our malaria control partners need to sustain these efforts through the end of the year and beyond.”

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.  Tana Netting will keep readers abreast of Liz and Laura’s latest whereabouts on its website and through its newly-established Twitter account: TaNAmalaria.