Silver Spring, Maryland--The Adventist Development and Relief Agency's most
recently funded project in Mozambique, Together Against Malaria (TAM), was
the focus and highlight of a meeting held by United States first lady Laura
Bush the morning of June 27 in Mozambique.

Representatives from ADRA and its local project partner, the Inter-Religious
Campaign against Malaria in Mozambique (IRCMM), as well as other groups,
joined an estimated 250 people in welcoming Laura Bush to Maputo Seminary in
Maputo, Mozambique, where she discussed the overarching goals of the
President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) and its funding of an inter-faith
project to combat the deadly disease in the African country.

"Defeating this epidemic is an urgent calling--especially because malaria is
treatable and preventable," the first lady said during her remarks.
"Nongovernmental organizations, religious institutions, volunteer groups,
and individual citizens can also play a role in this historic effort."

Confirming this statement, the first lady announced the commencement of the
Together Against Malaria project. Funded through the PMI by a grant worth
nearly $2 million, TAM will reach more than 1.5 million Mozambicans in the
Zambesia province and will be managed by ADRA Mozambique and implemented by
the IRCMM, with technical support provided through the Washington National
Cathedral.

Darcy de Leon, country director for ADRA Mozambique, reflected on the
morning's events. "We are very honored by Laura Bush's visit and for her
support of the Together Against Malaria project," he said. "TAM represents
an integral partnership between ADRA, the Inter-Religious Campaign, the
Washington National Cathedral's Center for Global Justice and
Reconciliation, the Mozambique Ministry of Health, and the United States
government."

The project will train more than 250 faith leaders from ten distinct
religions to provide health education, train other individuals, and mobilize
their unique faith communities to work together in fighting the spread of
malaria.

"TAM will work on a grassroots level, initially in the densely populated
Zambesia province. Faith leaders in each provincial district will be trained
in malaria control and prevention practices and then work with the Ministry
of Health to reach the local communities," continued de Leon. "However, we
hope to see it expand to a nationwide project that will benefit virtually
every Mozambican."

In her speech, Laura Bush highlighted the importance and potential of
mobilizing communities of faith to change their behavior and save lives.
"Faith communities exist in every village in the country; therefore, faith
leaders can reach their members and impact their attitudes and behavior
related to malaria," she remarked.

An inter-faith coalition, IRCMM members include leaders from the Seventh-day
Adventist Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Islamic Congress of
Mozambique, the Islamic Council of Mozambique, the Anglican Church, the
United Methodist Church, the Hindu Community, Assemblies of God, the
Christian Council of Mozambique, and the Baha'i Community.

Mike Negerie, ADRA's regional technical manager for health in Africa, also
attended the meeting. "ADRA is honored to have been selected to help faith
based organizations develop the capacity to tackle the malaria problem in
Mozambique," said Negerie.
"This inter-faith partnership demonstrates the solid trust ADRA has built
through the years; our partners know we will deliver sound, effective
programs to benefit some of the world's most vulnerable people, particularly
mothers and children, who are at high risk for malaria and other diseases."

"We express our gratitude for the support of the President's Malaria
Initiative and that of the millions of Americans who stand shoulder to
shoulder with the world in eradicating malaria," he added.

Almost six million cases of malaria are reported per year in Mozambique, and
the disease is a major cause of death in the southeastern African nation,
also contributing to the high level of poverty throughout the country by
reducing productivity, especially in rural areas.

Nearly the entire population of Mozambique is susceptible to the disease,
including an estimated 3.6 million children under the age of five, and
900,000 pregnant women. In Zambezia province, 18.1 percent--or almost 1 in
5--of children five and under have contracted the disease.

Along with other government officials and religious leaders, prominent
attendees at the morning's meeting included Maria da Luz Geubuza, the first
lady of Mozambique; Dr. Paulo Garrido, the Minister of Health; Bishop Dinis
Sengulane, Anglican Bishop of Lebombo, Mozambique; and Admiral Timothy
Ziemer, head of the PMI.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and
emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, gender, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.