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Below is a piece contributed to CNN by the African actor.

Africa — As an African man, I have always felt a sense of responsibility, not only toward my country, but to those living on the continent who face the daily challenges that poverty and disease bring.

As a new father, I have acquired an acute sensitivity to the overwhelming challenges parents in this region face in creating a future full of hope and free of disease for their children. AIDS, in particular, has ravaged the continent.

A recent report from the United Nations says that AIDS will kill half of all 15-year-olds in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa by 2012 if something is not done soon. Nearly 14 million children have been orphaned by AIDS, and each day, nearly 1,000 children are born HIV positive — starting life already carrying the burden of this disease.

Read more at CNN

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