Liverpool-based company Yanco are delighted to be working with Everton FC and Colombian national team player Yerry Mina to create and supply innovative insecticide paper to Mina’s home village in Colombia for an initial period of three months.
This joint health initiative originated in Liverpool following discussions between Speke-based Yanco, national grassroots football fan network Supporting Foodbanks – founded and based in Liverpool – and Everton Football Club, concerning the use of Yanco’s insecticide paper for killing mosquitoes in humanitarian aid and corporate social responsibility programmes. Everton FC’s South American links enabled the Yerry Mina Foundation to become involved in Mina’s native Colombia, where Yanco’s Colombian partner Katori distributes the product under their Katori brand.
Yanco, the Yerry Mina Foundation and the Katori company in Colombia, in alliance with Everton FC Fans Supporting Foodbanks and the British Embassy in Colombia, through its bilateral campaign UKCOL2021 and the Colombian Red Cross-Cauca section, are donating and will roll-out one million applications of Katori paper to the residents of Mina’s hometown of Guachene in Colombia.
This ground-breaking international partnership aims to protects thousands of households in the area from the immediate threat of serious disease carried via mosquitos, including Malaia, Zika, Degue Fever and Chikungunya.
The launch of the initiative and a formal presentation of the donation took place in Guachene on Tuesday 19th Octover 2021, attended by the British Ambassador in Colombia, Mr. Colin Martin-Reynolds CMG. A specially recorded video message from Yerry Mina was played to the audience and representatives of Yanco and Fans Supporting Foodbanks joined the event virtually.
Yerry Mina, who co-founded the Yerry Mina Foundation with his father, said:
“This is a very important initiative and I’m delighted the Yerry Mina Foundation has been able to work with Yanco, Fans Supporting Foodbanks, The Red Cross, Katori and the British Embassy to donate Katori Insecticide Paper. This donation will play a vital role in protecting the health and wellbeing of my community in Guachene.”
“One of the aims of my foundation is to provide general wellbeing and quality of life improvements and this project will go a long way in protecting people, especially children, against dangerous diseases. There is nothing more important than taking care of each other and particularly young people who represent our future, and my thanks go to everyone involved.”
Managing Director of Yanco, Glen Smith, said:
“We are proud to be part of this fantastic international collaboration originating in Liverpool to help the people of Guachene. This project demonstrates the benefits of communities, businesses, football clubs, NGOs, charitable organisations, government, and high-profile role models such as Yerry Mina working together to bring health and economic benefits to the most vulnerable.”
“This is our first such collaboration and we are committed to developing this model further to help communities globally in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases.”
Ambassador Martin-Reynolds said:
“This year is very special as we are celebrating UKCOL2021, a great opportunity to highlight our close bilateral relationship. And what better way to represent UKCOL co-operation in action than this venture, where a British company with a presence in the country has collaborated with a Premier League star of the Columbia national football team, to donate sustainable insecticides for 5,000 homes in his native community.”
Ian Byrne MP, Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby constituency, is a co-founder of Fans Supporting Foodbanks, which was instrumental for bringing together the various parties involved in the collaboration. Following the formal launch of the initiative this week, he said:
“This is a huge moment for Fans Supporting Foodbanks. Six years ago, we started collecting tins of food in a wheely bin to feed people going hungry in our communities. Tonight, along with Yanco, Everton FC, the Yerry Mina Foundation, the Red Cross, Katori and the British Ambassador to Colombia, we have launched a project in Colombia to protect a town from malaria and dengue. I could not be prouder.”