Why Kenya?

Advantages and benefits of the Golden Radio Africa HIV/AIDS program:  Pilot Test - Kenya, E. Africa.

Neal Golden, a Senior Ambassador, emcee, singer and entrepreneur and former Top 100 franchisor with partner  Frank Carney, (who was also Pizza Hut's founder), now  donates his non-profit and music activities through Bounce Foundation (501 c 3). Golden Radio Africa, Bounce's lead project, is taking the message of HIV/AIDS prevention "through the use of music and Condoms ALWAYS," making "Keep Us On" a manly and macho thing to do" for the most at-risk male population of Kenya.

Kenya was selected as Golden Radio Africa pilot nation for several reasons: number one, FM stations, licensing, resending stations, etc. are all easier and in place in Kenya. Neal's classmate from the '60's in the Midwest, Menkir Esayas, who originally came from Ethiopia, has a PHD in communications and has been doing distance learning to 400,000 people daily utilizing radio in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. 

The plan is to utilize Africa's most favored music (Country), and the same music of its most favorite star(s), Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, as the attraction to keep many Africans in the most at-risk group, workers and lower class citizens, tuned into the Golden Radio Africa programming, 24/7. 

Secondly, great strides have already been made in Kenya in lowering the number of new cases of HIV/AIDS because of the increased use of condoms. But it needs an extra push to get the numbers of condom users growing again; Golden's approach in pushing the Macho Message "Keep Us On" (i.e., Golden's Music and Golden Condoms, dispensed through already establish foundation orgs), to win valuable prizes and qualify even for micro loans (the women, who are successful at winning the consistent use by their men of condoms).

Neal Golden, apart from being a singer with the distinctive Country Marlboro voice of a Kenny Rogers, is also a consummate Entrepreneur; he has played a role in starting, or has owned, more than a hundred new start-up businesses. He can share his experience, give advice and encouragement to Kenyans, on how to get started in business and qualify for, once shown responsible, micro loan assistance.

Golden Radio Africa as a project can be analogized to basketball:  we play a strong defense by curbing HIV/AIDS at its roots (i.e. use of condoms, ALWAYS). A complete culture will be built up around the radio station's utilizing successful methods, which participants in a Black Student Caucus of 25 Oslo University Students from 13 African Nations contributed at caucus following a Golden Concert with his daughter at U. of Oslo in June 2007. Then, with the concept of safe, constant usage of condoms implanted in the culture - with radio, concerts, billboards, "talking trees" posters, and organized groups of women who can win valuable prizes through organizing word-of-mouth campaigns - the base is set to instigate micro loans.

So, # 1 is the defensive game: (i.e., to curb the pandemic of HIV/AIDS through consistent, correct condom usage - Dream #1). This is to be followed by the offensive: an Entrepreneurial educational assault with expert and useful advise, suggestions and Micro loan sources and information made available. ("Dream 2"). Both Dreams are realizable.

Hope in curbing HIV/AIDS and continuing Kenya's progress through Condoms' usage. And more HOPE in the form of info, encourage and expert advice from the American Singing Cowboy and CEO, Neal Golden. (Note: This can also be an opportunity to stage the first of Golden's African outdoor concerts; he foresees the use of large screens to deliver to his African listeners and fans messages of Hope 1 (Condoms usage) and HOPE 2 (micro loans), from his fellow singers and entrepreneurs. (Frank Carney, Pizza Hut founder and Neal's partner in www.ScandiaDown.com , has dedicated an Entrepreneur's Institute at the Wichita Statue University.)

A secondary reason: Neal has chosen Kenya as a pilot operation for the Internet Radio Station with 24/7 content designed to keep the at-risk segment of the population tuned in, also, in that Neal's college roommate, Jim Opeyo, from W. Kenya who came right from the bush, made it through six years of college education with the help of Neal's mother, a former school teacher, and her friends' support. Jim was expected to be another iteration of his hero, Jomo Kenyatta; however, when he contacted liver cancer and died, age 28, that dream ended. Neal wants to now do the station in Kenya first.

Finally, it is hoped other of Neal's cowarts in music - even the legends of Country, Kenny Rogers, Wayne , Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Dollie Parton, will come and be present at the Concerts - at least by way of the Big Screens present at the Concert(s) to deliver their challenges and messages of Hope 1 and Hope 2.

As far as 24/7 streamed Country radio, the most asked for songs in Kenya, and concerts go, Golden Radio Africa can deliver both: Neal Golden's recorded bevy of some 250 songs, along with his willingness to come to Kenya and stage concerts, as well as outlying tours and concerts to promote Condom usage and sew the culture of "Golden Condoms and keeping Golden Radio and Golden Condoms on" ("Keep Us On SM"), can made real change and HOPE possible.

Golden Radio Africa is a project of Bounce Foundation, a 501 c 3 Public Foundation where donations are tax deductible. The foundation was started in 2002 by twelve 13 year old girls to learn safety and be safe with alcohol, drugs and sex. The foundation was continued by Golden and his 18 year old daughter, Natasha, who co-founded the foundation; she frequently appears with him in concerts. Their last appearance was a concert for 500 students from 100 nations at the University of Oslo Summer School, 2007.

Contact: Neal Golden
neal@nealgolden.com
206-459-7676 (cell)
Bounce Foundation
425-679-6268 office

(Note: A Major US Senator now running for President happens to have be born in Kenya. See and hear NPR's segment on Senator Obama.)