The partnership is launching a bracelet made of African beads.

The bracelets will be sold for about $3.00 each. One dollar from each sale will be given to the Global Fund which raises money to combat malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

The bracelets are handmade by more than 400 women living in impoverished neighborhoods in South Africa. They provide the women with an income of some $200 a month.

The South Africa-based restaurant chain, Nando's, created the concept and will sell the bracelets at its 1,000 outlets in Africa and around the world.

Spokesman Chris Thorpe said the goal is to sell one million bracelets by the end of the year. "It is the first time that Africa is now giving money back to the Global Fund. It's really our time to stand up now and give back," he said. "And from selling a million bracelets it means that we'll be able to raise a million dollars which means that we'll be able to buy in excess of about 100,000 [mosquito] nets."

The nets are distributed through humanitarian groups across the continent especially before the rains bring malaria season. They are accompanied by educational programs and distributed with rapid malaria diagnosis kits.

The communications giant, MTN, is also participating in the campaign and will offer the bracelets to its 10 million subscribers.

Senior manager Tshepo Ramodibe said the group hopes to use the upcoming football World Cup, being played for the first time on African soil, to broaden awareness of the disease and the way it can be prevented and treated. "Ours is really hoping that at the end we could say we have scored a goal against malaria, Africa one, malaria zero," he said.