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| Miss World supports campaign to eradicate jiggers by 2015 Miss World Alexandria Mills has just completed a four day tour of Kenya, accompanied by Julia Morley, Chairman of the Miss World Organisation, Emma Wareus - Miss World Africa and Adriana Vasini, the second runner up. The visit was made in support of the Anti Jigger Campaign, winner of the Beauty with a Purpose Award at the 2010 Miss World celebrations. The award of £10,000 was presented to Natasha Metto, the Kenyan representative for her incredible work done with the anti jigger campaign. The money will go towards work in dealing with jiggers, an unpleasant skin parasite common in the tropics. The jigger flea is a parasite that burrows under the skin and lays eggs which enter the bloodstream and affects the blood supply therefore drawing oxygen from the blood. As well as causing pain and sometimes serious infection, it can also affect brain function leading to swelling. It is very common in children living in dry dusty areas where there is poor sanitation. Accompanied by Natasha Metto, the winner of the award, the Miss World team helped to wash the feet of the children in a solution of potassium permanganate. If treated with this solution over a two week period and if the conditions of their environment were improved, infestation would not reoccur. There was also a visit to the Karura Forest, where they took part in a tree planting ceremony. Jigger mites thrive in dusty conditions, and so in areas affected by deforestation where you have less trees and more dust there will be a higher incidence of jigger infestations. The campaign aims to eradicate jiggers by 2015 and Julia Morley has made her pledge to support the campaign. |
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MESSAGE FROM JULIA MORLEY