The State University of New York in Potsdam, New York recently completed its fifth; biannual “Toothbrushes for Malawi” drive, working in conjunction with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Dental School. Under the direction of Pat Whelehan, Campus AIDS Education Coordinator and Professor of Anthropology, the toothbrushes were gathered among the student body, and sent to the Malawi Project in Indianapolis, Indiana for shipment to Malawi. The toothbrushes will be funneled into the national distribution program and given to poor village people who cannot afford to have toothbrushes for their families.
According to the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report for 2009, about 74% of the population of Malawi lives below the income poverty line of $1.25 a day, and 90% of the total population is below the $2.00 a day threshold. It’s hard to believe but, a toothbrush is a life changer for the health of a family.