After East Africa’s worst drought in 60 years, 30,000 children have died over the last 3 months. 600,000 more are on the brink of starvation. An entire generation could be lost.

Thousands of starving people are walking hundreds of miles to refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. Many die before reaching their destination. One young mother of six told a journalist how while making the long journey to the camp she had to leave one of her children behind to die because the baby was too sick to continue traveling and the mother had to try to save her other children. No mother should ever have to make that choice.

Several musicians and social networking sites are trying to raise awareness and money to help East Africa. Bono and Somali hip hop artist K’naan gave the following interview to Anderson Cooper:

On August 9 the “Bob Marley Campaign” to support Save the Children’s East Africa Appeal was launched. Universal Music Group, iTunes, Yahoo!, Facebook, AOL, MSN, YouTube and Twitter teamed up with Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Eminem, Rihanna, Britney Spears, U2, Kanye West, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Muse, Coldplay, Elton John, Lewis Hamilton, Bruno Mars, Robert Plant, Brian May, Sting to launch a campaign via their networks of friends and fans on Facebook and Twitter to encourage people to view the following film set to the 1973 Bob Marley & The Wailers song “High Tide or Low Tide.”

The song can be downloaded through iTunes or Bob Marley’s Facebook page for $1.29 with the money going to Save the Children.

 

Mary McDonough