It's Africa Calling, Act 7 Children One and All

... this was the hardest letter to write

Africa Act 7 Children One and All

October 15th, 2007

Dear Friends and Family, its Africa calling…

People are dying here. Over 3000 children die everyday from malaria alone. Jeffrey Sacks in The End of Poverty declares that 20,000 people in Africa die each day. Malaria, AIDS, tuberculosis, dysentery are the top culprits.

The biggest killer, malaria, is also the easiest one to stop. It is also the biggest killer of children and infants.

In the 1970’s, my sister taught me one of my favorite folk songs. It was written by Rod McKuen and recorded by Mary Travers on her album, Mary. The song is Children One and All.

As I meet the dying children, this song haunts me everyday here in Africa. Please read a few lines with me…

Children One And All by Rod McKuen

Some of us live in big white houses, some of us live in small.
Some of our names are written on blackboards, some are written on walls.
Some of our daddies work in factories, some of them stand in line.
Some of our daddies buy us marbles, some of them just buy wine.

But at night you can’t tell Sunday suits from tattered overalls.
Then we’re only children, children one and all.

Some of us take our lunch in boxes, some in paper sacks.
Some of us kids join in the laughter, some hear it at our backs.
Some of our mothers sew fine linen, some can’t sew a stitch.
Some of our mothers dress up poorly, some of them dress up rich.

But at night you can’t tell party dresses from hand-me-downs too small.
Then we’re only children, children one and all….

Some of us grow up tall and handsome, some of us grow up plain.
Some of us own the world in ransom, some of us just our name.
Some of our people die in mis’ry, some of them die in peace.
Some of our people die for nothing, but dying doesn’t cease.

And at night you can’t tell fancy coffins from boxes in the hall.
Then we’re only children, children one and all.


In Kumbo, you can’t tell the healthy children from the dying ones at first. There is no malaria here in the mountains. It is their travel to the lower lands and the lands of stagnant waters where the mosquitoes infect them. They return home with fever and joint pain slowly settling in, as the malaria spreads in their blood. Unable to afford medicine, death comes.

My Number One project, duty and mission is to end malaria by creating huge farms of Artemisia (an herb) that will prevent and cure malaria. We can harvest the crop every 3 months due to the great environment of the mountains of Kumbo. In three years or less, we can eradicate malaria from the entire continent of Africa. Saving millions and millions of lives.

It is possible. It is practical. It is essential.

But I can’t do it without your help…without your money.
How can I convince you that your momentary loss of money for new carpets, cars, toys and trips is worthwhile? You will survive. But without your help, these kids won’t survive.

Also, your donations will create a sustainable cure. It is not a bottomless pit. Once the Artemisia farms and the processing plants are up and running, then this will become a profitable, sustainable African success story.

I am asking you to help these children.

There is nobility in this call, and there will be sacrifice in your action as you dedicate a portion of your time and resources to helping save the children of Africa.

Thank you,

Blair