Michael Muller photographs United Nations Foundation delegation in Kenya to promote Nothing But Nets

Michael Muller in Kenya.

Michael Muller traveled last month with a United Nations Foundation delegation visiting the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. The aim of the trip was to collect and document the stories of Kenyans benefiting from Nothing But Nets, a global grassroots campaign to distribute life-saving bed nets to refugees who are at risk for contracting malaria.

“These people need a voice to tell their stories,” says Michael. “They feel forgotten and abandoned. Taking their photos lets them tell the world: ‘I am here. I exist. I am a human being.’ And watching the smiles appear on the children’s faces as they view their photos, even if the smile lasts only a few brief moments, lets me know we’re alive.”

The delegation was led by Elizabeth Gore, executive director of global partnerships for the United Nations Foundation. “…I am in Kakuma trying to help mothers who lose babies almost every day to malaria—a preventable disease carried at night by killer mosquitoes. I have traveled on dozens of trips like this, accompanying celebrities, donors, and the media to witness the life-saving work of the United Nations Foundation,” she wrote in a column for The Huffington Post. “In my work I have watched infants die from malaria in their mothers’ embrace. I always felt compassion and sadness for these families. I also felt a sense of urgency, wanting to return to the United States to share their stories in support for our Nothing But Nets campaign to send life-saving bed nets.”

Actress Serinda Swan (Breakout Kings, Tron), who is an ambassador for the international nonprofit foundation Friends to Mankind, was also part of the delegation. She blogged about her experiences in Kakuma for the Buzzkill Foundation, which has partnered with Nothing But Nets, here: “A Day in Kukuma.”

Here’s a look at some of Michael’s many photos from the trip. They’re inspiring images, and the good news is that it’s convenient and inexpensive to contribute to the cause for which he volunteered his time: A donation of just $10 is enough to send a bed net to Kakuma. Go to NothingButNets.net to lend your support.