Originally posted on About.com, 7 October 2003 http://radio.about.com

The Freeplay Foundation has announced that actor Tom Hanks is their new American Ambassador.

The foundation's mission is to help the world's poorest people gain access to information. The organization does this by distributing "Lifeline" radios which require neither electricity nor batteries.

The Freeplay Foundation believes Radio, as a primary communication medium in developing countries, can greatly assist in transferring needed knowledge to overcome social problems while aiding progress in emerging societies.

The Lifeline radio plays either via solar energy or by wind-up and is the first radio every produced for solely humanitarian needs. The Freeplay Foundation now operates in over 12 different African nations.