The N2M ‘one bracelet for one net’ initiative provides insecticide treated mosquito nets to rural villages in Ghana, which generally represent the poorest of communities. N2M will be distributing only this type of net (ITN) as it has proven the most effective solution. The technology of ‘long lasting insecticidal nets’ eliminates the need for re-treatment and keeps nets effective for many years an
d should help reduce child mortality by at least 20 per cent.
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N2M stands for ‘No 2 Malaria’ and is an initiative founded by Leeni Ojaniemi in Ghana, West Africa. Her background working in contemporary art in London took her to West Africa for the first time in 2011 to explore the emerging contemporary art across Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, and Ghana. On her trip however she was unfortunate enough to contract both malaria and typhoid fever at the same time even whilst on anti-malarial tablets as a preventative measure. Leeni was able to recognise her symptoms early and fortunate enough to seek the help of a doctor. After blood tests and a positive diagnosis for malaria she started the life-saving medication unavailable to many. After having fully recovered Leeni realised that she wanted to do something to help others in danger of contracting malaria and concluded that the most effective way to avoid this disease is by using a treated mosquito net at night. This is when the idea for N2M bracelets was born. Leeni permanently moved to the Ghanaian capital of Accra in 2012 to continue working with contemporary African art and developing the idea of N2M bracelets further. Working on the African soil again she was constantly reminded about how strongly malaria affected the daily lives of many people. She discovered that there was a way in which she could combine her work with the local arts whilst participating in the effort of eliminating malaria and founded N2M bracelets where every bracelet purchased would directly distribute a treated mosquito net to an individual in need in Ghana.
