Everton defender Yerry Mina is at the heart of an international health partnership that aims to protect residents of his hometown in Colombia from potentially deadly diseases from mosquito bites.

The Yerry Mina Foundation is leading the drive to provide 5,000 homes in Guachené, Cauca with a novel insecticide that will protect families from the immediate threat of serious illness, including Malaria, Zika, Dengue fever and Chikungunya, all carried by dangerous insects.

The joint health initiative was devised in Liverpool through Everton Football Club and Fans Supporting Foodbanks alongside Liverpool based insecticide company Yanco, who brought in their Colombian partner Katori. It was that South American link that saw the Yerry Mina Foundation’s involvement. One of the Foundation’s aims is to create social and environmental programmes to help combat some of the hardest hitting social issues.

The link-up and donation was formally announced at event in the town square of Guachené, Yerry Mina’s birthplace, with the Everton player recording a special video message that was relayed to the watching audience. In attendance from the Yerry Mina Foundation was President and Mina’s father Jesus Eulices Mina who welcomed a visiting delegation alongside the local residents and beneficiaries of the donation.

The initiative is being carried out with the support of the British Embassy in Colombia and the Colombian Red Cross (Cauca section) to deliver the needy donation, which aims to prevent the spread of disease.

Yerry Mina, who co-founded the Yerry Mina Foundation with his father, Jesus, said: “This is a very important initiative to me and I’m delighted that the Yerry Mina Foundation has been able to work alongside Yanco, Fans Supporting Foodbanks, the Red Cross, Katori and the British Embassy to donate Papel Insecticida Katori.

“This donation will play an important role in protecting the health and wellbeing of my community in Guachene.

“One of the aims of my foundation is to provide general well-being 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.”

With the support of the British Embassy and the Colombian Red Cross – Cauca Section, five thousand households in both rural and urban areas of Guachené will receive 200 applications of Katori Paper in their homes to provide protection for the next three months.

The presentation of the generous donation, was attended by the British Ambassador to Colombia, Mr.Colin Martin-Reynolds CMG, who is visiting the municipality for the first time. Local children were also in attendance as well as a band playing traditional music.

Mr 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 Colombia national football team, to donate sustainable insecticides for 5,000 homes in his native community.”