We all share the profound sorrow that accompanies the loss of a young life. It's a tragedy that strikes at the very heart of our humanity - the loss of potential, the innocence extinguished, and the indescribable pain inflicted on families and communities. We, as Koreans, know this pain all too well: tragedies like the Sewol ferry disaster and Itaewon Crowd Crush have left deep scars on our nation, reminding us of the fragility of life.
Malaria is a disease that might seem distant from our lives today, but it was once prevalent in Korea. Its eradication on the peninsula is a great news story, but sadly malaria remains one of the top causes of child mortality worldwide. Last year alone, nearly half a million children lost their lives to this relentless killer - that's 1,320 young lives extinguished every day, or around one every single minute. To put this in perspective, malaria takes the lives of twice the total number of children born in Korea last year. That's a loss equivalent to the combined toll of the Itaewon, Sampoong, Sewol, Cheonan, and Seohae tragedies - happening every single day.
What is truly heartbreaking is that many of these deaths could easily be prevented through a simple, cost-effective solution: long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. A bed net costs less than 3,000 KRW and protects two people when they sleep at night from malaria-carrying mosquitoes that typically bite between ten o'clock in the evening and two in the morning. That bite might otherwise cause severe illness or worse. On average, for every 1,500 nets installed one death is averted and up to 1,000 cases of malaria are averted. The impact extends beyond saving lives. Each net delivers twelve times the value to the local economy by preventing deaths, sickness, and the corresponding loss of economic activity.
Since 2008 the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) has been distributing bed nets to communities most in need. For each of the last fifteen years, it has ranked among the world's most transparent, evidenced, and highly cost-effective charities by independent charity evaluators like GiveWell and The Life You Can Save. And now, AMF has launched in Korea, allowing Koreans to easily and tax-efficiently donate to this incredible cause.
Why is AMF Korea so special? First, it has a very streamlined structure: most of its staff volunteer, and its modest costs are met entirely through pro bono partnerships. That means that every won donated to AMF Korea goes directly to buying bed nets - none is lost in administrative costs, salaries, or promotion. What sets AMF apart even further is its unwavering commitment to accountability and transparency. On our website, each donor can track the nets they donate from the factory all the way to installation in the most affected communities. AMF's involvement doesn't end there: post-distribution checks ensure nets are correctly installed and continuing to be used. This radical transparency ensures that you can have complete confidence in the impact of your donation. Evidence shows that this streamlined, scientific approach means each won donated to AMF delivers between 100 and even 1,000 times more impact than that donated to 'average' charities.
In Korea, our history has been marked by tragedy. But we have also experienced incredible solidarity and support from many in the global community as we made our unique journey from poverty to become the world's tenth largest economy. We are the only nation in history to go from being an aid recipient to a donor, and our generosity is already making a difference around the world. But with so many others in need, there has never been a better or more important time to show our kindness and compassion to others. And we should expect - and demand - that each won we donate achieves the greatest impact. Together, we can protect the world's children and help prevent more families and communities from enduring the pain of unnecessary loss. Each donation - whether one net or a thousand - can make an incredible, life-saving difference.