FORTY YEARS AGO, a few dozen U.K. pop stars organized into a supergroup called Band Aid and recorded the smash hit “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” to benefit famine relief in Africa. In the U.S., singer and activist Harry Belafonte, with the help of superproducer Quincy Jones, organized the American counterpart, USA for Africa, to record “We Are the World.”

Both groups raised global awareness, demonstrating the power of music to pursue idealistic goals. In fact, the USA for Africa charity (usaforafrica.org) has raised more than $100 million so far to help alleviate poverty in Africa and in the United States. —Rob Tannenbaum

Healing Holidays

A new kind of getaway to support women in menopause

GOT MENOPAUSAL symptoms ... and a few days to spare? Specialized wellness retreats are gaining popularity as a way to help women navigate this often-tricky midlife terrain.

Such mini-vacations are “the ultimate intentional reset,” says Melissa Biggs Bradley, CEO of Indagare, a membership-based luxury travel agency that last year offered a four-night menopause retreat at a spa in Massachusetts.

Activities can include educational sessions as well as yoga, guided meditation and sharing circles. At the Harmony in Menopause retreat at a Florida resort in May, participants could learn about pelvic-floor strengthening, hormone replacement therapy and breath work, among other topics.

“For years, women were taught that aging is bad,” says Jess Pfeffer, whose event-planning agency hosted the retreat. “Menopause is going to happen. We can’t prevent it, but we sure can feel empowered when it happens.” —Ellen Uzelac