I remember I wrote journal about Africa- A Land of Curse but We Can Make A Difference a year ago to [03-13-2007_meningitis1] encourage friends and people I know to donate a small amount of money to help those unfortunate people in Africa. I suggested two organizations that I am a monthly donator. Doctors Without Borders and Cares are very active, bold and creative. During the war between Israel and Lebanon last year, while everyone was scared away by the heavy bombardment from Israel and left thousands of injured Lebanese dying near the border of both countries, Doctor Without Borders created a human chain to transport necessary medical supply to the crisis area. And that impressively bold act created awareness to the international community and Israel was pressured to cease fire in order to allow the medical supply be delivered to those needed people.

I just finish reading the article from Time Magazine and the writer Jeffrey D. Sachs mentions how $10 can save a lot of African children’s life from Malaria. This deadly but curable and preventable disease has killed millions of poor children around the world. And as I am writing this journal, there are at least 3,000 children are dying of Malaria and perhaps 2 million more will succumb to this disease this year.

The pictures of crying mothers holding their children who are dying of Malaria and struggling for the last breath are abundant.

[03-13-2007_meningitis3] The consequence is enormous. Malaria deprives worker productivity and eventually the whole economy. It creates the unintentional consequence of population growth because couples in a malarial region tend to have more children in order to make sure some will survive. And the vicious cycle starts- over population, poverty, disease and war.

There is a very simple solution- the bed net. It costs just around $10 but it will save millions of life.

But $10 is not enough, I truly believe. We should pledge ourselves at least $30 a month to help these organizations.

Let me put the $30 in perspective.

What will you have to sacrifice for $30?

- Seven cups of Starbucks

- Two glasses of wine (or just one if you go for better wine)

- Half of a dinner

- Two hours of Karaoke

- One in tenth or fifteen of your shopping budget

- One cover charge of the dance club

What $30 can provide for those poor people in Africa?

- A month of clean water for 100 refugees.

- A surgical kit containing essential instruments to carry out emergency examinations and basic surgery in the field

- Two nourishing meals every day for a month for 5 children threatened by famine

- Three bed net to stop Malaria that is killing millions of children.

- Vaccinations to hundreds of Children

We do not need to be rich to start sharing. There are billions of people are dying from wars and those curable and preventable diseases and our small amount of contribution will tremendously affect their life. Our $30 will absolutely save hundreds of life.

Don’t you think it is worth of your small sacrifice?

If you think it is, please visit these four organizations here to help whatever you can to make a difference.

- Doctor without Borders

- Care

- Malarianomore.org

- Nothingbutnets.net

Tae Athi