Los Angeles,
CA: Twelve-time Grammy Award winner Alicia
Keys appeared tonight on FOX's American Idol as part of
a massive initiative called the Text 'ALIVE' Challenge
which aims to provide lifesaving medicine and care to
children and families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.
The campaign is being organized by Keep a Child Alive (KCA),
the non-profit organization for which Keys serves as
Co-Founder and Global Ambassador.
As part of Keys'
appearance, she asked the millions of "American Idol"
viewers to text the word 'ALIVE' to 90999 to make a $5
donation. The Text 'ALIVE' Challenge aims to generate
millions of new texts that will provide lifesaving care
through KCA's beneficiary sites in South Africa, Kenya,
Uganda, Rwanda and India.
Keys explained that
the Text 'ALIVE' Challenge will not only benefit Keep a
Child Alive's beneficiaries, but introduce millions of
new donors to the rewards of charitable giving. "No
matter how much or how little we each have, when we pull
together we have the power to change the world," says
Keys. "That's the beauty of Keep A Child Alive and the
Text 'ALIVE' Challenge - it only costs $5 to help save a
life by texting the word 'ALIVE' to 90999."
Keys also introduced a
performance by 15-year-old Rwandan rapper, Noah, who is
a patient at the KCA-funded clinic in Kigali, Rwanda.
KCA Co-Founder and music industry veteran Leigh Blake
first met Noah during a visit to the clinic and after
hearing him perform, invited him to appear at KCA's
annual fundraiser in New York City, the Black Ball.
Blake describes her first meeting with Noah,"Here he was
in the slums of Kigali with so little access to popular
culture, really almost none at all. But as soon as he
started rapping, I saw he had it - the talent and the
intensity was in him - and I knew I had to find a way
make his dream to record an album come true."
Simon Fuller, creator
and Executive Producer of American Idol was being
honored that night by KCA for his extraordinary
charitable contributions via "Idol Gives Back." He
couldn't forget Noah's courage and dedicated himself to
making Noah's dream come true.
Through his music,
Noah hopes to transform not only his life and the lives
of his family, but the futures of millions of people
living with HIV. Noah performed "The World's Greatest,"
written by R. Kelly and produced by Swizz Beatz. The
song is currently available for download from Apple
iTunes, with all proceeds benefiting Keep A Child Alive.
The Text 'ALIVE'
Challenge is a first for American Idol and a departure
from traditional fundraising methods. Viewers are able
to respond to Keys' call to action by using their mobile
phones to give $5 simply by texting the word "ALIVE" to
90999. Seconds after texting, they will receive a
message back asking for confirmation. Mobile donors
confirm by replying "YES" via text message, and the $5
donation is added to their next mobile phone bill. The
mobile giving campaign is powered by mGive, founded by
wireless pioneer James Eberhard.