Photo: YouTube
The long-awaited Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger the “Big Event,” a free musical fund-raising extravaganza hosted by Doug E. Fresh, headlined by stars such as Master KG (above) of Jerusalema global fame, and broadcast by ViacomCBS—to bolster healthcare delivery in African countries—is finally here, this coming Saturday on February 13th.
In addition to Master KG, the virtual concert features several star artists, including: Julian Marley, Ricky Kej, Oumou Sangare, Makhadzi, Shadow Boxxer, Menace Da General, Estelle, Tolumide, Priscilla, Rocky Dawuni, Mthandazo Gatya, and Nomcebo Zikode.
These named musicians will be joined by sports personalities, world leaders, prominent public figures, and healthcare workers from all parts of the world, to deliver inspiring messages—all promoting fundraising to purchase mobile clinics, and to upgrade the fragile healthcare infrastructure in rural Africa.
The conditions are challenging for healthcare delivery, especially in rural Africa, where some people, including women and children, walk as many as 10 miles to access healthcare services. Healthcare data highlight how most countries are under-resourced: there’s an average of only one doctor per 10,000 people; 40 nurses and midwives per 10,000 persons; and, about 10 hospital beds per 1,000 Africans.
“Finally, after several months of planning everything is in place for a phenomenal virtual concert to boost healthcare delivery in some African countries,” says Gordon Tapper, founder of Give Them A Hand Foundation, president of the United African Congress (UAC), and executive producer of Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger the “Big Event.” Tapper adds, “African artists, other performers from around the world, and noted personalities from Africa and elsewhere enthusiastically responded to our call to support this critical event. Together, we will all make an impact in saving the lives of Africans by contributing to the healthcare delivery system. We will help fight various diseases, and the intolerable levels of maternal and infant mortality rates in Africa.”
Tapper says Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger the “Big Event” will be hosted annually in order to have a significant impact in addressing the healthcare challenges faced by most African countries. Limited healthcare resources were already taxed prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Before that, several countries in West, Central, and East Africa had been recovering from the challenges presented by the ebola pandemic. Combined with other perennial diseases that claim the lives of many Africans, such as malaria, resources devoted to healthcare are stretched to the limit.
“We wanted to add value by focusing on raising funds to buy mobiles clinics and upgrade existing facilities in rural parts of Africa where about 60 percent of the population still resides,” Tapper explains. “This Saturday’s virtual concert will be the first of many events in upcoming years. We invite everyone to donate generously by visiting our website, by sharing the information, and by attending the virtual concert.”
Donations can be made by visiting www.africarise2020.com
The funds raised through Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger the “Big Event,” in addition to purchasing mobile clinics and upgrading existing healthcare facilities, will go toward: purchasing medicine and medical supplies; and, providing digital medical equipment to enhance diagnostic testing and tele-medicine.
“The digital technology will allow telemedicine to link rural facilities with doctors in urban doctors and enhance diagnostic testing, which will improve treatment,” Tapper says. “What’s more, another benefit of expanding healthcare delivery in rural Africa means more community leaders and even herbalists can be integrated in the care of people.”
Other artists who will perform in the virtual concert include: Nomcebo, Swadu, Nailah Blackman, Angelo & Veronica, Chloe & Maude, DJ Pruluv, Saifond Balde, Ganda Boys, Mak Mudday, Daphne, and Zakuza.
Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger is brought to you by an alliance of activists and organizations with a long history of promoting healthcare in Africa whose members are: Earth Rights Institute, Inc., Give Them A Hand Foundation, Black Star News, the International Association of Applied Psychology, and The United African Congress (UAC).
Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger is also supported by several organizations and individual contributors, including H.E. Sidique Abou-Bakarr Wai, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to the United States, H.E. Mahamadou Nimaga, Ambassador of Mali to the United States, and Dr. Mmamontsheng Dulcy Rakumakoe, CEO of the QuadCare Medical Centers in South Africa. Africa Rise! Healthier & Stronger the “Big Event,” the free two-hours virtual concert will be broadcast on several ViacomCBS platforms, including BET.
Show times are: Sat. Feb 13, 2021 @ 9:45 PM Central Africa or @ 7:45 PM GMT on BET Africa DSTV Channel 129. The event will stream beginning at 6:30 PM Eastern Standard Time via: www.Africarise2020.com AfricariseYouTubeAfricariseFacebook
