Africa

Many celebrities support a variety of causes, but when that celebrity makes the effort to see that charity in action, it makes a big difference in not only how they feel about the cause, but the impact they have on other people regarding the cause. I’m far more likely to contribute after hearing a first-hand account.

Scarlett Johansson visited Rwanda recently on behalf of the (RED) organization. She wanted a better understanding of what exactly the health crisis there entailed, and, in addition, she drew more attention to the country’s fight against AIDS. She wasn’t just there to look on, either — the starlet worked with volunteers to help those who were sick and needy.

She said, “I came here with an open mind, wanting to listen, understand and learn; I leave with the overwhelming understanding that the small action of making a (RED) choice in your purchases in the West has an enormous impact on the lives of people in countries like Rwanda.”

Johansson knew that seeing this health crisis first hand was the only way to truly understand what she was fighting for and supporting, saying, “It’s not until you’ve had the privilege of meeting healthcare providers who are fighting the daily battle, heard from people who are now getting antiretroviral drugs to stay alive, and met mothers whose babies are born healthy because they received treatment that stopped the transmission of HIV, that you understand that we absolutely can do something to reverse the AIDS crisis in African countries.”

Maybe we can’t all see it first hand, but Johansson’s passionate plea will certainly be in my mind the next time I have the option to purchase a (RED) product. How about you?

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler still rocks. He recently took part in the first Boston Rock Ride For Africa by jumping onto his custom-made Red Wing motorcycle for a 15 mile charity ride along the waterfront in Boston. The ride raised money for two charities focused on stamping out poverty in Africa — FORGE and Opportunity International.

Tyler, 60, helped bring attention to the two day Boston for Africa event, which hoped to raise awareness of the problems in Africa which really affect the whole world. The event also included a gala at the Hard Rock Cafe — no word on whether Tyler attended that, but I’m sure they had plenty of Aerosmith memorabilia on hand.

The Boston for Africa website explains its purpose, saying, “While the United States has seen relative peace and prosperity on our soil for over 100 years, many African people have been born into a cycle of war and poverty that the rest of the world has an opportunity to end.” The organization believes, “With the simplest of opportunities, small-scale change is growing from the bottom up and the African continent is realizing positive change.”

Photo courtesy of exposay.com

Yes, I said tree planting — not tree throwing, or tree kicking. It looks like supermodel Naomi Campbell is making an effort to clean up her cell phone-hurling image by taking part in The Abuja Green Society’s tree planting campaign.

The goal of the campaign, based in Abuja, Nigeria, is to plant a tree for each baby born in the region’s hospital. Not only do they hope to give these children a better future by doing so, but also to promote awareness of environmental issues the region faces, specifically the need to find sustainable energy solutions.

The supermodel not only managed to keep her temper in check — she also managed to stay completely clean, and that’s not easy for someone who comes to a tree-planting dressed in white!

Photo courtesy of askmen.com

Prince Harry is back in military action, but this time it’s not as dangerous a mission as his previous stint on the front line in Afghanistan. This time, the 23-year-old prince will be traveling with other servicemen in his Army regiment to Africa to assist with building and repairing facilities for projects supported by Sentebale.

Sentebale was founded in 2006 by England’s Prince Harry (who is third in line to the throne) and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Its mission “is to transform the lives of Lesotho’s orphans and vulnerable children” in order “to help the forgotten victims of poverty and of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

Back in 2004, Prince Harry spent part of his gap year as Prince Seeiso’s guest, volunteering on local welfare projects. Harry was touched by the plight of AIDS victims, and along with Prince Seeiso, founded Sentebale (which means “forget me not”). It was a way for him to help the people of Lesotho as well as pay tribute to his late mother, Princess Diana, who was passionate about raising awareness of the AIDS crisis in that country.

It doesn’t look like Harry will have any trouble following in his mother’s footsteps or keeping her memory alive — he’s off to a great start!

Photos courtesy of sentebale.org

Thandie Newton has always been an eco-minded celebrity — she’s a wearer of recycled clothing, she encourages her friends to drive environmentally friendly vehicles, and she’s often on hand to support worthy causes like breast cancer research. It looks like she’s now adding a new cause to her list — clean water in Africa.

The actress is joining a campaign sponsored by Volvic and World Vision which will supply ten liters of clean water for each liter purchased of Volvic Plain or Touch of Fruit. The campaign name is, fittingly, 10L-for-1L, and because of the support it has already received, Ghana, Zambia, Mali, and Malawi have already had wells dug which generated over 1.7 billion liters in their first year. Now that is a successful program!

Thandie decided to get on board with the project after visiting Mali and seeing the difference clean, safe water can make in the lives of children and their families. To see how you can help, check out the website.

Photo courtesy of purseblog.com