NEW YORK, USA, March 9, 2020,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- In commemoration of International Women’s Day, Joy Ruwodo, Public Affairs Regional Adviser of the END Fund makes a call-to-action for deworming the girl child in Rwanda to increase her school attendance and earning potential. In the video, Joy succinctly talks about the rising scourge surrounding neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and why the time to bring an end to these diseases is now! These diseases (intestinal worms, trachoma, bilharzia, etc.) affect more than 1.7 billion of the world’s population – with over 40% of the burden in Africa. 

Globally, there are 54 million girls and women who suffer from female genital schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia). As a result, women are more at risk for contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases as well as facing complications during pregnancy. To make matters worse, girls and women are more likely to develop trichiasis – an advantage stage of trachoma which is the leading cause of blindness.

As a member of a global community that is tirelessly working to end these diseases, Joy calls on stakeholders to join her and other leaders in beating NTDs through raising more awareness and collaboration. This year, the END Fund launched its Deworming Innovation Fund to tackle parasitic worm infections that affect more than 40 million children in Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. In June, Joy will also join other global changemakers in the first-ever Malaria & NTD Summit in Kigali to bring united global attention to these diseases. 
To learn more about the END Fund and how you can support, visit  www.end.org/audacious.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of the END Fund.

About the END FUND
The END Fund is the only private philanthropic initiative solely dedicated to ending the five most common neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which affect more than 1.7 billion people globally. It efficiently puts private capital to work, advocating for NTD programs that are innovative, integrated, and cost-effective. It facilitates strong partnerships with the private sector and has supported national disease control programs in 30 countries.

Since its founding in 2012, with its partners, the END Fund has provided over 740 million donated treatments worth over $1 billion, over 12,900 surgeries for people suffering from the effects of the advanced stages of elephantiasis and trachoma, and trained more than 1.4 million people in NTD control and elimination efforts.