Africa has been called the most romantic and tragic of continents. She is the Garden of Eden, the cradle of mankind, and the ancient stage upon which our earliest dramas unfolded. She is still home to the greatest wildlife show on earth and remains a sanctuary for people struggling to maintain traditional ways and hide from the West.

On the other hand most African nations are racked with poverty, AIDS, malaria, illiteracy, corruption, and often civil unrest. The majority of Africans endure the worst standard of living in the world with little prospect for improvement in the face of famine, disease, and malignant population growth. And the Garden of Eden, Africa's jungly profusion and great herds, will soon be gone, a victim of greed and ignorance, smothered by the sheer weight of her humanity.