The team will join up with the Great African Rift Valley Expedition, which has not only set out to conquer some of Africa's most majestic and rugged terrain but also to reach out to those living in the continent's worst malaria areas.
As an ambassador for United Against Malaria (UAM), which aims to eradicate malaria by 2015, Holgate's fight against malaria stretches back to his yearlong "African Rainbow" expedition to the Somali border in 2005 during which he distributed tens of thousands of mosquito nets as part of a campaign called "One Net One Life". This was followed by "The Outside Edge," a 448-day 33-country geographic and humanitarian expedition to track the outline of Africa, while distributing nets. The All Afrika Expedition, which covered Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and The Central African Republic, was completed last year.
His latest journey combines the challenge of travelling the entire Rift Valley with his humanitarian work as a way of giving something back to "Mama Afrika."
Game Africa director, Mark Turner, said the company was pleased to be part of this life saving campaign. "According to the World Health Organisation, a child dies from malaria in Africa, every minute. Nets treated with insecticides are one of the most important and effective methods of preventing malaria transmission."
He added that these nets were also the most simple and cost effective means of dealing with malaria in both rural and disadvantaged communities that had little access to even the most basic resources. "Because children and pregnant mothers are most vulnerable and because a startling 90% of malaria deaths are among children under the age of five, we have decided to donate nets where they are needed most."
Nets treated with long lasting insecticide have an estimated success rate of up to 60%. The group's donation is expected to save over 10 000 lives over a four year period.
