Shedrack Maritim Awarded ‘Spear of Heroism’ for Fighting Malaria

After walking more than two kilometers to Chemamul village, Kenya, to take part in an IRS campaign, spray operator Shedrack Maritim was awarded a “spear of heroism” by a grateful village elder. Source: James Sang/Kenya, A Division of Malaria Control

During 2008, PMI protected nearly 400,000 people in the Nandi District, Rift Valley Province, in Kenya through an IRS campaign that sprayed more than 200,000 homes. The district is characterized by hilly terrain and, like many rural areas in Kenya, is home to villages that are often neglected and have difficulty accessing basic health services. With PMI support, motivated teams of spray operators reached these remote areas.

Shedrack Maritim is one of the committed spray operators who is making sure that isolated communities are not overlooked. Carrying a spray pump loaded with 10 liters of insecticide, he trekked more than two kilometers to Chemamul village. Previous spray campaigns, which began in the district in 1999, had not reached the village. A Chemamul village elder was so delighted that he honored Shedrack with a warrior’s spear for his commitment to fighting malaria.