At night, there was time for fun. Everyone played soccer with a ball of tightly wrapped plastic bags and a goal of sticks stuck in the ground. Hippos would come close to camp and watch.
But daytime was for work.
Days were spent warring against malaria.
Zachary Stewart, Arts & Sciences sophomore, majoring in biology and chemistry, worked alongside a research team to find new ways of battling the disease.
Recently, Stewart received the prestigious John Chrystal Award for his work with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Kenya.
Malaria is a mosquito-spread disease in which the insects feed off someone infected with the malaria parasite. When the mosquito bites someone else, the parasite mixes with its saliva and enters the person’s body. According to the World Health Organization, 100 percent of individuals in Kenya are at strong risk for Malaria.
Most preventative measures against malaria focus on utilizing mosquito nets and bug sprays. Stewart took a different approach.
“I looked at how different pools of water affect the growth of mosquitoes from larvae to adults,” Stewart said. He said if he has a small cup of water in his backyard, he can dump it out, which prevents mosquitoes from growing. But when it’s a community effort and there’s a large puddle, people can’t just dump it out.
Through interviewing over 40 people from the local tribe and working closely with researchers in the ICIPE, Stewart began to shape a simple solution to the deadly problem.
“I decided to focus on something that’s sustainable, not a magic bullet to cure malaria, but a preventative method. Something that didn’t cost any money,” he said.
Filling potholes was his solution.
No mosquitoes, no malaria transfer. Stewart’s policy is currently being implemented in local Kenyan tribal towns.
Being in Kenya was difficult at first, Stewart said.
“It was culture shock. I became very sick. At one point, I had a scare of malaria. I had the parasite in my blood stream, but it never made it to my liver. That’s a scare the locals deal with every day,” Stewart said.
But Stewart was impressed by the people.
“They were so polite, so accepting,” Stewart said. He said he was a foreigner and a complete stranger, they took me in.
Researching in Kenya solidified Stewart’s passion for human health and bugs. Ever since he was young, Stewart has had a powerful interest in insects.
“I took away from the experience a strong connection factor. It’s easy to read about problems and issues in a textbook, but when you experience them, it’s completely different. You develop a better understanding about what you need to do to educate yourself,” Stewart said.
What you can do to help:
* Donate to organizations like the International Medical Corps and Malaria No More.
* Buy a net through Nothing But Nets to send to Africa.
* Contact the American Red Cross to volunteer and fundraise.