Stories Behind the Headlines

The haunting image that inspired Bob Geldof to start Band Aid and Live Aid was that of a young, dying Ethiopian girl named Birhan. Her story came to life after a Canadian reporter named Brian Stewart, among many of the world's journalists, began to report of the daily tragedies Ethiopia was experiencing. Brian had filmed a father preparing to bury his famine-stricken 3-year-old daughter, Birhan, who was on her deathbed. But the girl turned out to be quite a miracle—she fought back to live.

"Until that moment, I had not seen in all my time in Ethiopia one good story," Brian says. "One story that gave any hope whatsoever and suddenly, looking at this face, I thought if she can make it, maybe Ethiopia can make it. And maybe the world will respond."