Musaphe Mbalame (Don’t kill the birds!), a jingle by Jack Allison (Malawi 1966-69)
Congratulations, Jack. A half-century later and your Peace Corps contribution lives on. I'm glad to see you're back in Asheville…
I have the good fortune to serve on the board of directors of Developing Radio Partners. Recently the Malawi government has been airing spots on the radio in an effort to combat an increasing incidence of malaria. The attached song has now become part of that campaign.
I wrote/recorded this song 56 years ago during my three-year tour as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi. Quite honestly, back in the day, the song was not only popular, it also had a modest positive effect on increasing awareness of the ways to fight malaria.
The gist of the song: Don’t kill the birds in Malawi because the birds eat the mosquitoes that give people malaria.
E. Jackson Allison, Jr. MD/MPH, FACEP, FACPM
Asheville, North Carolina
RPCV Malawi, 1966-69
Virtual Service Project Participant (VSPP), US Peace Corps/South Africa, 2022
Author: The Warm Heart of Africa: An Outrageous Adventure of Love, Music, and Mishaps in Malawi
Hear more of Jack Allison’s songs and jingles on doctorjackallison.com
PeaceCorpsWorldwide.com
Congratulations, Jack. A half-century later and your Peace Corps contribution lives on. I’m glad to see you’re back in Asheville after the hurricane.