I was very, very saddened by what I saw, but had no way to help improve the situation. Then last year I got an opportunity to act to help a family in Guinea. A friend of mine who was very sick spent 3 weeks in a hospital with no way to get out because her family did not have enough money. So I paid the bill and she survived, and the family was grateful. That was an eye-opening experience for me. I had never given that kind of monetary assistance before. I saw how much that money changed things for the whole family, and became inspired to try to do more for them and for other families in need.

As I planned for my trip to Guinea in 2006/07, I decided that I would begin a small venture to help people in need in Guinea. Alone, I could only do so much and help only a few people. But with the generous support of others, I could help many more people. My plan included the collection of medications, clothes and money. Money is a key ingredient in helping people in desperate situations. I also talked a lot of my ideas for the venture through with local Boston area physicians, including a psychiatrist and a few general physicians. I am not a physician, my father was. But I learned a lot about physical, mental and spiritual healing growing up. I put all of this to use during this past trip to Guinea.

I want to thank all of you who contributed to the Guinea Fund with money, medications and other supplies. There is no way that I could have done this without you. Starting a grassroots effort to help even one person is not necessarily easy for many reasons. I welcome the help. I need the help and so do my new and old friends and families in Guinea. The great thing about a grassroots effort is that all of the money goes to people in need in Guinea.

As many of you are aware, many agencies out there do NOT get much aid to the people who need it. I can see why. There is so much bureaucracy, high operational costs and other costs as well. That situation leaves only pennies on the dollar actually reaching the people in need. I do not support this, and wanted to find a better way to help. By bringing the money and supplies to Guinea myself, I can see that people are being helped. And that feels good... and my father would be happy. He always told me to treat people with medicine and healing ways since I was 4 years old and that's when I started drumming! Healing was always just a step away.

There are other ways of helping the folks in Guinea and other parts of West Africa too, and we do that as well. By keeping a constant supply of drums coming to the United States, The DrumConnection is giving, as of this writing, over 65% of the sales of our Guinean drums to the many drum makers and their families in the Conakry area. Your purchase of a djembe or dunun drum from us really makes a big difference in the lives hundreds of people in a trickle-down effect that feeds families and improves lives.

The photos you see on this Web site of the drum carvers, the sick people and animals are just a handful of the people being assisted with meds, money and kindness.

The people of Guinea have helped change my life. Their sweet, soulful and caring ways and open hearts have shown me much about how I wish to live. And with your help, we can't heal the whole world but we can say that we made a difference.

To donate to The Guinea Fund...

By Mail:

Please send check payable to:  ‘Alan Tauber’ and mail to:

The DrumConnection - PO Box 1311 - Arlington, MA 02474

Online payments are not set up at this time. Someday....