Listen to the song here:

These themes are all too real for the nearly 13 million people affected by the famine in the region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that upwards of 1000 people flee Somalia every day, choosing to walk to neighboring Kenya, Ethiopia, or Djibouti for refuge. Those countries, too, suffer from food shortages.

“We wanted to give something back,” the Aires’ manager Ethan Weinberg told the UN News Service. “We have a larger following now and we wanted to use our reach for a good cause.”

And they do. When Larry arrives, he finds out that a timber corporation is threatening to drive out the Bayaka people from their homes, changing their traditional way of life. Despite Larry’s illness, he helps the Bayaka figure out a way to keep their culture, music and dignity — and learns a lot about life along the way.

With its colorful visuals, powerful soundtrack and moving storyline, “OKA!” offers a rare glimpse into the daily life of one of the most remote peoples on the planet. Read more about the film here.

Available on Netflix.

Do you need a soundtrack to inspire you to fight against AIDS? Look no further than the Sinikithemba Choir, a South African musical group whose members, in addition to their passion and talent, have one thing in common: they are all HIV-positive.

Based in Durban, South Africa, the choir draws inspiration for their unique voice from their personal experiences, using music to call for prevention programs and treatments that will stop HIV in its tracks. Originally founded to support a community facing particularly high transmission rates and a stigma that left many battling the virus feeling isolated and alone, the group quickly found that their message resonated with thousands of others all over the world.

Since then, the choir has gained global attention for their positive outlook on living with HIV, and hope to erase the stigma that is unfortunately still so often attached to the virus and reinvent public opinion through their songs.

Sinikithemba, which roughly translates from Zulu to mean “give us hope” has also developed a health center to provide prevention information and treatment for people in the area. A modern facility that provides income for many of the choir — the majority of whom were at one point unable to find work due to HIV — through beadwork, sewing and nursing, the group looks to replicate their model of success elsewhere in Africa in the future.

Check out this video of the choir’s performance for PopTech:

Overall, Sinikithemba is a great example of what we can achieve with the right treatment, education and, perhaps most of all, attitude towards fighting to bring an end to HIV.

You can find more info about the choir and their programs here on the Sinikithemba Project website. And be sure to check out a couple of their performances — with enthusiasm and belief like theirs, the end of AIDS truly is possible.

Just A Band met while studying at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. They are an eclectic trio of filmmakers, animators and musicians. They formed in 2003 with a debut full-length album release, “Scratch to Reveal,” in 2008, Daniel, “Blinky Bill” and Jim garnered only moderate buzz prior to “Ha-he’s” overwhelming success, which, along with praise for the experimental jazz, rock and electro styles of their second album, “82” has gained them a fast-growing international fan base and a range of additional media attention.

Aiming to replace “the usual depressing symbols” of their home country, it seems that Just A Band are destined for success in promoting a positive, uplifting tone with which fellow Kenyans will have no trouble identifying.

And now, following in the footsteps of the superhero they created, the group is shattering long-standing stereotypes both about how an African pop group should sound and about what they have the power to influence.

Harnessing not only the power of music but also visual art, comics and animated video, Just A Band is re-inventing what it means to be a creative force for good. Already booked for Texas’ SXSW festival in 2012, a US tour in the works and hopes for an African one soon after, they seem to be well on their way.

Check out this playlist on Spotify to hear more from Just A Band, their influencers and some other awesome Kenyan music. And take a look at the Makemende video above. As the number one YouTube video in Kenya to date, they’ve got to be onto something good, right?

But in addition to breathing life into old buildings and coloring previously gray walls, what about channeling the energy of street art toward social good?

For Cape Town-based artist Freddy Sam, this is certainly the future. A self-proclaimed “creative activist,” Sam is currently working to transform Woodstock, an impoverished suburb of the area. Ultimately, he hopes to cultivate a community that uses art as a tool to encourage leadership and alleviate poverty.

Beginning with the idea that graffiti can be used to inspire communities and encourage other types of social action -– Sam began his work by painting his own simple murals on deserted buildings. Since then, his projects have significantly evolved and now, in addition to his own work, the artist is beginning to integrate others’ designs, too.

Sam also sees public art as a key way of encouraging community development among youth, including in particular those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to make their voices heard. Working extensively with several boys’ orphanages in the area, he and his students have produced murals, painting and a range of other great works that they are now in the process of turning into their first original exhibition.

Hoping ultimately to use the “word of art” to tell a real, personal African story and to inspire others to do the same, Sam’s efforts are already attracting other artists to the area -– developing it slowly but surely into a neighborhood as vibrant and inspiring as their designs.

Have you ever seen any of this work or other cool public art? As always, we would love to hear your stories. Look at more photos here -– perhaps you’ll even be inspired to create a mural in your home!

So, how do you pull together a full-length album featuring a team of 11 producers and 50 local performers that highlights the diversity of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s music scene while relating to listeners around the world?

Well, if you’re Damon Albarn, the former front man of hit British band Blur and the mastermind behind digital group Gorillaz, that certainly helps. Teaming up with Oxfam this July, the innovative musician traveled to the DRC to collaborate with local talent and drum up renewed hope for an area often otherwise seen in a negative light.

The product of what sounds like an unforgettable week’s work in the country’s capital, the album, “Kinshasa One Two,” is a creative blend of voices and genres featuring an extensive range of international artists, including T-E-E-D, Richard Russell, Kwes and volunteer talent who jumped at the chance to showcase their work on a global scale. Described as “African pop futurism” by SPIN Magazine and having already received a great review from the Telegraph, the record seems set to be a success for both Oxfam and Albarn, who has kept a live account of its progress on the ground and since his return.

As he told BBC Radio One in a recent interview, the project’s focus aimed to center around capturing moments of Congolese life and mixing traditional sounds with modern technology to create something entirely new. Simply from the homemade instruments displayed alongside Macbooks and turntables throughout the project’s trailer, it is clear that “Kinshasa One Two” marks a turning point in charity-sponsored productions used to promote awareness and aid for numerous causes for the past several decades.

The experience has without a doubt made a significant impact on Albarn himself, who is already planning another similar collaboration in South Africa’s Soweto. Noting that the continent is our future in finding solutions to many of our own current problems, you can’t help but notice the star’s enthusiasm for his new cause. After listening to a few songs, it is near impossible not to join him.

Haven’t had a chance to download “Kinshasa One Two yet?” Preview the album’s debut single, “Hallo,” on the project’s website and take a look at the full download on iTunes or Fairsharemusic. You can also catch up on behind the scenes action on Tumblr, and show your appreciation for Albarn and his team on Twitter at @DRCMusic.

Thankfully, these artists are not ones to keep their talent to themselves. Collaborations abound, such as an album full of the melodic artistry between Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté, a West African storyteller known as a Griot. Their mutual respect and talent are a joy to hear, and to watch.

I had heard of the masters of the strings, like Touré and Diabaté, before my trip, but as is often the case, it’s the unexpected discoveries that are most rewarding. The sounds of Tinariwen, a group of 5-9 Tuareg nomads from the southern Sahara, stick with you. Founded in 1979 by Ibrahim ag Alhabib, the membership fluctuates depending on things like who has herds to tend or a pregnant wife. Founded in the refugee camps of Libya and Algeria, Tinariwen is so much more than “desert blues”, using their electric guitars to lace native rhythms with Berber and Arab influences. The blues references are not lost on Tinariwen, who acknowledge the similarity of their feeling of “asuf” – a Tamashek feeling that mixes of the emptiness of the desert and a spiritual yearning, with the bluesmen of Mississippi and Chicago.

Tinariwen’s 2004 album was recorded in a studio in Bamako, a departure from what had up until then been a mostly bootleg cassette following. For their 2011 album, Tassili, they returned to their roots, practicing and recording outdoors around campfires, under the sun. Tassili is haunting trance blues with cameos by artists as diverse as Nels Cline of Wilco and New Orleans’ own Dirty Dozen Brass Band. It’s addictive in its simplicity.

Listen to my personal mix of Malian musicians here.

We often look at war through the eyes of a man: killing, destruction, power and violence.

What if we looked at war -– and most importantly, peace –- through the eyes of a woman? What would that look like? A century ago, 90 percent of war casualties were male soldiers; today, nearly 70 percent are civilian women and children.

Beginning tonight, October 11, PBS will air a docu-series called “Women, War & Peace,” a five-part special series to show women are not only suffering unprecedented casualties in today’s wars -– but are also emerging as leaders in brokering peace and postwar reconciliation.

Narrated by Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, Geena Davis and Alfre Woodard and produced by Abigail Disney, Gini Retiker and Pamela Hogan, the series covers women making change and creating peace in four countries: Bosnia, Liberia, Afghanistan and Colombia, and culminates in a fifth episode with today’s leading peace and security experts, current and past secretaries of state and top officials.

“Women, War & Peace” will air on PBS stations across the country each Tuesday from October 11 to November 8th. Check your local listings.To learn more, go to www.womenwarandpeace.org.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Mangochi, Malawi, you’ve likely already heard all about Lake of Stars, the award-winning music and arts festival set to hit stages for its 7th consecutive year this weekend.

Featuring more than 70 African and international acts, the festival expects to attract over 3,000 visitors, bringing welcomed tourism to the area as well as acting as a great global platform to promote Malawian culture.

Founded in 2004 by Will Jameson following a previous trip to volunteer around Lake Malawi, the festival is modeled on similar celebrated events, including Glastonbury and Live Aid. Gaining media attention from around the world since its inaugural year, when it won the Malawi Tourism Award, Lake of Stars has since gone on to become the country’s No. 1 attraction.

The festival is designed to promote Malawian arts and tourism through international interaction and exposure. Over its years in operation, it has certainly proven that it can accomplish just that, giving 200 million people a glimpse into the country’s culture on top news networks such as CNN, The Guardian and the BBC, and Q Magazine, which recently dubbed the three-day event “simply the finest festival in the world.”

This year, Lake of Stars is set to host a diverse set of renowned acts, including headliners Foals, Freshlyground, The Very Best and Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio as well as a wide variety of drama, dance and even kung fu performers.

A great use of both creative and tourism industries with end goals rooted in the cultivation of development, the festival seems set only to grow with its introduction of a “Development Village,” designed to bring together NGOs and the private sector to engage with the public and spread awareness of pressing issues, as well as a partnership with UK-based charity the MicroLoan Foundation.

From temporary employment for festival employees to the promotion of local business and an attempt to re-brand the overall region, Lake of Stars has certainly proven itself a great success as a positive experience for Africans and international visitors alike.

You can find more information about Lake of Stars on their website, Facebook page or tweet @LakeofStars. Going to the festival? Have fun and be safe! We would love to hear what you think when you get back.

He may not be a household name yet, but Batwing, the Bat-Universe cast’s most recent addition and first-ever African character, may well be on his way to becoming one, following DC Comics’ launch of its new book last week. A super hero story complete with armor and bat insignia, there is no doubt that the series also serves to reflect Africa’s turbulent political landscape and the ongoing battle against its real-life villains.

An AIDS orphan and former child soldier, Batwing, like his fellow cast members, emerges from tragic beginnings that spur his fight against the corruption of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s police force. Created by DC writer Judd Winick and featuring art by Ben Oliver, the series marks the company’s venture into otherwise almost uncharted territory.

Though not deliberately politicized, the use of Africa’s volatility as a backdrop to the more traditional comic book premise naturally raises questions of poverty, public health and violence for discussion. Careful to paint a picture that would resonate across a variety of regions, Minick collaborated with African studies experts to ensure that the character he imagined was both realistic and free of stereotype. Similarly, Batwing’s attempts to eliminate the evil forces threatening his fictional native city reflect the differences between the continent and other settings often used in comic series like that of Batman’s Gotham. Rather than a one-man army, Batwing serves not only to defeat the corruption he is up against, but also to reform his enemies and to use them for positive purposes in light of the challenges he is faced with at home.

Overall, the comic is a refreshing take on the familiar idea of a super hero. Serving both to represent Africa’s beauty and to highlight its challenges, Batwing already seems to be a great success for the DC Comics team, as well as a new opportunity for readers to learn more about issues currently faced by fellow Bat-Universe fans from other parts of the world.

You can find previews of Batwing’s current and future issues on the DC Universe website, or take a look in your local bookstore for the comic’s first edition on sale now. Also, take a second to say thanks to Batwing’s editors for featuring an African character as part of DC Editor Week. Show your appreciation on Twitter at @DCComics using #dceditorwk.