Entrepreneur sets up website to fight malaria

An entrepreneur is helping to launch a social networking site to help fight malaria.

Tom Hadfield, who sold a football web site for £20 million at the age of 17, hopes the new site can raise awareness of the disease, reports Reuters.

Mr Hadfield had the idea for the site, www.Malaria Engage.org, after a visit to Zambia where he saw close-up the effects of the disease.

He told the news agency: "Travelling across Africa and seeing the devastation caused by malaria made me realise there was more to life than putting up soccer scores."

"Our dream is tens of thousands of people will use social networking tools to build a movement that eradicates malaria," he added.

The site encourages visitors to donate $10 (£5) or more to support seven research projects in Tanzania, with more schemes to be included in the future. It also connects people involved in research to "encourage individual participation and involvement".

It has been announced by the Cycling Association of Zambia that a team of cyclists are embarking on a five-day, 920 km race to mark World Malaria Day, which falls on April 25th.