Vestergaard (https://Vestergaard.com/) and LifeStraw – sister companies united by shared values and a long commitment to social impact – are strengthening their collaboration in western Kenya through a new annual commitment from Vestergaard to donate 1,000 PermaNet® Dual long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets. The initiative builds on more than a decade of joint engagement at Emusanda Health Centre, as well as LifeStraw’s global Give Back programme to provide communities across Kenya and other countries around the world with safe water.
Vestergaard first rehabilitated the Emusanda Health Centre in Lurambi, Kenya, in 2009, establishing a community clinic delivering essential primary and paediatric care, and comprehensive services for people living with HIV. Since LifeStraw became an independent company in 2020, it has continued to develop the facility – building a maternity ward and strengthening pre- and postnatal services – while Vestergaard has provided mosquito nets for every mother giving birth at the centre, and every family with children under 5 years old accessing care. Each family also receives a LifeStraw household water purifier, and LifeStraw’s local teams continue to support the clinic by filling staffing gaps and supplying essential medicines so services can operate around the clock.
Beyond Emusanda, LifeStraw’s Give Back programme has delivered safe water to schools and communities across Kenya and other countries, reaching more than 14 million children. At the same time, malaria remains a major threat to child health, with over 4 million cases estimated nationwide in 2024. Insecticide‑treated nets have been instrumental in reducing malaria globally, accounting for 72% (https://apo-opa.co/4vuLfIc) of all cases prevented between 2000 and 2024, while next‑generation dual active‑ingredient nets including PermaNet Dual have stopped an estimated 40 million cases since their introduction in 2019.
By integrating distribution of Vestergaard’s latest mosquito net technology into LifeStraw’s existing community health programmes, the annual donation of PermaNet Dual will extend protection beyond healthcare facilities to boarding schools caring for orphans and children with disabilities, ensuring safer nights for some of the most at risk. Together, safe drinking water and malaria prevention form a simple but powerful package of protection for mothers, newborns, and school‑aged children.
Amar Ali, CEO of Vestergaard, said: “LifeStraw’s frontline work continues to show where the gaps are, and how well‑targeted interventions can protect children who might otherwise be left behind. By formalizing this annual PermaNet donation, we’re reinforcing our shared commitment to helping communities access the basic tools they need for a safer and healthier start in life.”
Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw, said: “Safe water and malaria prevention are two of the most fundamental building blocks of community health, yet too many families still lack consistent access to either. LifeStraw’s mission has always been rooted in the belief that safe water is a foundation for health and opportunity, but water alone is not enough. By integrating Vestergaard’s PermaNet Dual into our programs, we are bringing together the right interventions for families and children, improving both health and educational outcomes. It is a practical, scalable approach grounded in decades of work in these communities.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vestergaard Sàrl.
Media contacts:
Vestergaard
Sarah-Jane Loveday
Director of Communication & Marketing
media@vestergaard.com
LifeStraw
Wendy Derbak
VP of Marketing & Impact
wdd@lifestraw.com
About Vestergaard:
Vestergaard is a social enterprise making innovative fabrics that have life-changing impact. Our PermaNet® insecticide-treated mosquito nets are a mainstay of global malaria elimination programmes, and our agricultural products safeguard harvests and protect high-value crops. Founded in Denmark in 1957, today the company is based in Switzerland and the USA, which leads all our research and innovation. Our manufacturing and quality testing operations are located in Vietnam, and we have teams across Africa, with facilities including a vector control research laboratory in Ghana. We have been a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2006 and a certified B Corporation since 2021. More information: www.Vestergaard.com
About LifeStraw:
LifeStraw believes everyone deserves equitable access to safe drinking water. The company has its roots in a simple but critical innovation, a filter designed to help eradicate Guinea worm disease, and that same focus on practical, high impact solutions continues today. Now a Climate Neutral certified B Corp, LifeStraw designs simple, effective products that protect people from unsafe water wherever they live, work, or travel. Its products are used in more than 64 countries across schools, clinics, households, and the outdoor community, and are regularly deployed in emergency response. The company’s filtration technology is rigorously tested by independent laboratories and proven in some of the most challenging environments in the world. Through its Give Back program, LifeStraw has provided more than 14 million children with safe water, with every product sold funding a year of safe water access for a child in need. LifeStraw products are available through major retail partners across North America and Europe, as well as online at www.LifeStraw.com.
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