Malaria, a plague for Africa
A child dies from malaria every 2 minutes
According to WHO, 608,000 people died in 2022 from malaria. 90% of victims are young children in Africa.
The number of cases is rising again since 2015
Despite the efforts of the international community, nearly 233 million cases were reported in Africa in 2022.
Malaria slows down an entire continent
First source of absenteeism at school, the disease also weighs heavily on the household budget.
Mosquitoes adapt to mosquito nets
“Tools are needed for protection of people when they are outside of
homes protected by core interventions.”
Our mission: save 100,000 lives
Goodbye Faso Soap, hello MAÏA!
Launched in 2013, the project initially called “Faso Soap” focused on the development of a long-lasting mosquito soap. We have been able to rely on experts in micro-encapsulation, botany, sociology, entomology.
When we learned that 80% of children under 5 receive ointment on their skin every night, we also worked on an ointment. We concluded that a mosquito-repellent ointment would have a greater impact on malaria than soap. The ointment is also used daily as soap and protects more effectively at a lower cost.
MAÏA, the first long-lasting repellent ointment
We have worked in the field with many mothers to formulate an ointment that meets their requirements and preferences. Our challenge: create an ointment that attracts consumers and repels mosquitoes. After a hundred tests, we selected the best candidate and called it MAÏA.
MAÏA is a 2-in-1 ointment designed to offer the whole family double protection:
- MAÏA deeply moisturizes skin thanks to nourishing shea butter
- MAÏA protects from mosquitoes for over 8h with safe repellents
Protect from malaria every day
The ointment is used routinely on children under 5 in Africa.
Ointments are particularly used in places whith difficult access to healthcare services.
Distributing the ointment in 5 countries can allow us to reach 50% of the population at risk.
Frequently asked questions
We have listed here the questions we receive most often. If you have other questions, feel free to send us a message at contact@maia-africa.com.
You can consult the points of sale closest to you. Burkina Faso is our primary market and we are working to make our ointment accessible in other West African countries.
The mission of our social enterprise is to protect the people of Africa from malaria. MAÏA was designed in Burkina Faso, in the heart of West Africa. Our current priority is to develop its distribution in Africa. We do not rule out one day offering MAÏA in Europe, but we do not yet have the necessary marketing authorization (MA) for sale in this market.
We would be happy to count you among our distributors. By distributing MAÏA, you are helping to protect your community against mosquitoes that carry malaria. If you wish to order for less than 5 million FCFA, we invite you to contact one of our wholesalers, who will be happy to serve you. Their contact details can be found on the list of our wholesalers.
If you want to order for more than 5 million CFA francs, you can contact us directly at client@maia-africa.com.
MAÏA is available in two formats:
- individual format (100ml) at the recommended price of 900F CFA
- family size (250ml) at the recommended price of 1900F CFA
These prices are those recommended in Burkina Faso. They may vary by country depending on applicable taxes.
Yes, MAÏA was designed to protect these children from the bites of mosquitoes carrying malaria, in the evening when they are most vulnerable. MAÏA can be used on the body of children over 6 months of age every day. Be careful, however, to avoid contact with the eyes so as not to create eye irritation.
Three toxicity studies showed that MAÏA could be used daily without risk to health. were carried out by independent laboratories:
- Risk assessment for human health – AtoutREACH, Paris (France)
- Assessment of toxicity and irritant and allergenic powers – Institute for Research in Health Sciences, Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
- Calculation of the formula’s safety margins – Idea, Bordeaux (France)
We have chosen to favor natural ingredients from West Africa, known for their cosmetic qualities: shea butter, cottonseed oil, beeswax. We have combined these ingredients with petroleum jelly, a synthetic mosquito repellent and perfume. MAÏA can thus be used daily by African families, because our ointment is affordable, effective against mosquitoes and healthy for these users.
No, three toxicity studies conducted by independent laboratories have shown that MAÏA can be used on a daily basis without risk to health:
- Human health risk assessment – AtoutREACH, Paris (France)
- Assessment of toxicity and irritant and allergenic powers – Institute for Research in Health Sciences, Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
- Calculation of the formula’s safety margins – Idea, Bordeaux (France)
MAÏA protects for more than 8 hours against mosquitoes carrying malaria (Anophele).
MAÏA’s design required more than 250 tests on mosquitoes to identify a formulation that was both comfortable to use and effective against mosquitoes.
In 2019, we then carried out outdoor tests in Burkina Faso (National Center for Research and Training on Malaria) and in Tanzania (Ifakara Health Institute) to find out precisely the full protection time. These tests, following WHO protocols, showed that MAÏA completely protects against malaria mosquitoes for 8 hours in Burkina Faso and 9:30 in Tanzania. Two scientific articles presenting this research will be published in 2020.
An experienced team on the field
The project relies on a hybrid structure to maximize its impact. The non-profit organization “100,000 Lives” ensures the research and development of the product, as well as impact measurement. The social enterprise “Maïa Africa” intervenes in the marketing and sales of the ointment.
Our supporting partners
The development of our project could not progress without the essential help of technical and financial partners.
Our technical partners
Our financial partners
In the headlines
Thanks to journalists, our project got attention in many countries over the world.
Let’s keep in touch
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