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 I introduced portable equipment, 'legs', in Leona, my village, for
conveniently and rapidly attaching bednets outdoors and indoors.
In Senegal people often sleep outoors to escape the sweltering indoor
heat, and they do this without the protection of their bednets. They
are in effect exchanging safe mosquito-free sleep, under a bednet, for
a cool nights slumber exposed to Anopheles mosquitoes. For many
Senegalese this disregard for their health is often the result of not
having a convenient option for attaching bednets outdoors. There are
known instances, reported Peace Corps Volunteers, of people in the
Fouta, using sticks to prop up their bednets, but this proves a feeble
structure.
In Leona, 417 initial sets were constructed and will be delivered to
Rural community Counsel members and other village authorities; local
health officials and relays; United Nations Millennium Project
officials and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in
the area; teachers; and Leona villagers.
The initial funding for the 417 sets was 1,232,500 FCFA, and was
provided by the U.S. Embassy's Humanitarian Assistance Fund.
To start the 'legs project,' a couple test models were constructed by
a mason and myself, in Leona, and the portable equipment were readily
adopted by my two host brothers who use them everyday, some nights
outdoors and some nights indoors.
When the initial 417 sets are finally delivered, everybody will not
adopt the legs to suspend their bednets; however, the goal is that
enough people will to start a precedent.
Next Step
 The next step if more legs are to constructed will involve either
direct funding, or working within the U.N. Millennium Project's
community cooperation approach, by far the best approach, because it
strives to promote sustainability. However, the latter will only
happen if a community group decides there's a market for selling legs
and then construct and sell the legs themselves. The Millennium
Project would provide the initial funding, with no reembursement
requirements.
I believe there's a market amongst the professional class, i.e.
nurses, teachers. I make that conclusion based on personal requests
from this demographic to buy the legs, and I also have sold one of the
original sets, prior to the 417, to a USAID contract worker for 2,000
FCFA.
I have a meeting with my counterpart, the local ICP, and health
relays, where the legs issue will be discussed.
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