A team of Otago University scientists are holding their tongues for two days as a fundraiser for UNICEF NZ’s ‘UNDER COVER’ Malaria campaign.

The 13 scientists are keeping silent for two days, starting today (Thursday 27 May), with people invited to show their support through the groups’ fundraising page. The scientists have already raised almost $1,400 – at the time of writing – with the tally continuing to climb.

Team members who forget to keep silent will be assigned lab jobs like cleaning for the next month.

A story in today’s Otago Daily Times about the scientists says that the idea for the fundraiser was raised as a joke, because the lab team is known as the rowdiest in their department. Although the lab is not carrying out Malaria research, the team is doing work involving insects. Spread by mosquitoes, Malaria kills a million people every year, most of them children.

UNICEF NZ’s UNDER COVER campaign aims to provide 35,000 insecticide-treated bed nets – enough to keep up to 140,000 children safe from the scourge of Malaria. It is part of a global UNICEF drive to deliver 25 million bed nets by the end of 2010.

What you can do to help
Support the Otago University scientists 
Learn more about the UNDER COVER campaign -- follow one of the suggested ways to help or come up with your own fundraising initiative