Alicia Keys asks the audience of “American Idol” to text in order to save many lives in India and Africa. She wants $5 from every fan of “American Idol.”

The Grammy award winner singer come out on the popular Fox show last Wednesday, May 13, 2009, urging viewers to help support the Text ALIVE Challenge, that aims to bring medical care and medicine to families and children with HIV/AIDS both in India and Africa.

Keys asked “American Idol” fans to text the “alive” and send it to 90999 in order to donate $5 to Keep a Child Alive, the charitable organization that she has co-founded and to which she serves as its global ambassador. Keys also introduced the 15-year-old Rwandan rapper named Noah, a recipient of the charity who performed in the show.

Keys started the Text ALIVE Challenge while she is touring with “As I Am,” her latest album. She stated in an interview last Wednesday, May 13, 2009, that “It was really the first time anything like that had been done. It was successful enough to encourage us to keep spreading the word in a forum like this.”

The seeds of the appearance of Keys in “Idol” were planted last year at the Black Ball, her annual charity gala, in which Simon Fuller, the “Idol” creator was honored. At the event, Noah performed and Fuller “was so taken by his story” that he even invited Noah to make an appearance on the hit show.

The appearance Noah along with Keys also re-introduced a charitable element on the show. The show’s “Idol Gives Back,” an annual fundraising program was cancelled in December. The broadcast last year rose over $64 million and has featured an all-star lineup which includes Miley Cyrus, Bono and Brad Pitt.

“This was kind of a way to keep a give-back element in effect and for Noah to be seen and heard,” Keys stated, adding further that the teen sings regarding the life and AIDS pandemic in Rwanda.

Keys also said that, “He’s dealt with probably more than any of us will ever have to in our entire lifetime. For us to help people like him in his situation with Keep a Child Alive, and with everyone watching being able to know that even with all the hardships they might be going through, there’s always someone going through something far worse, so to help someone other than yourself is really a noble thing to do.”

She further said that by giving only $5 will make it easy to help people from different economic strata. She also said that, “You buy four of your favorite ring tones and that’s what you spend, if not more,” she said. “It puts everything into perspective … For the cost of probably less than you would spend at Starbucks, you can help someone like Noah.”

Text donations will be accepted until June 1 and the $5 charge will appear on the phone bill of the donors.

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