Some weeks ago, Atlas Corps invited us to a special screening of a film called IMBA MEANS SINGS. It is a beautiful independent documentary that proves the power of music and how it can be the way for lots of African children to be educated.

The film tells the story from the eyes of Angel, Moses and Nina. They are part of The African Children´s Choir that was established since 1984 in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya and South Sudan. Its mission is “Helping Africa´s most vulnerable children today so they can help Africa tomorrow”. Music is the key of the organization; they teach kids how to sing and perform. They tour around the world to get sponsors and funds for the kid´s future education. This education will empower them to make a difference in their communities and work in a variety of educational and empowerment programs.

During the documentary, the audience can see the perspectives of Angel, Moses and Nina, their real life with their families and their journey around United States and other countries. They have a bunch of experiences along the tour performing in amazing scenarios and meeting new people from different cultures. You can feel a mix of emotions, the happiness, the excitement, the homesickness and all the energy and enthusiasm that they put in each presentation with the shine of their colors and voices.

It is beautiful too to see their dreams. Angel wants to become the first female President in Uganda and Moses wants to be a pilot. Being a part of the choir give them the opportunity to make these dreams come true and have a better future for them and their families. The children are not the same after the tour. They arrive with a big desire to be change makers in their land.

This film reaffirmed the power of Education, this amazing gift that no one can take from you and can make real impacts in communities to help to eradicate poverty and have a better quality of life.

To conclude my blog I would like to add some successes stories from ex participants of the choir:

Dr Robert Kalyesubula Member of Choir 2

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“Before I joined the African Children’s Choir I was actually out of school. I didn’t have food to eat and I didn’t even have clothes to wear. I didn’t know where to sleep because we were 10 children sharing one house. When I joined the ACC, everything changed. They provided for me food, they provided for me shelter, and I was able to play with the others without fearing and wondering what I was going to eat the next day.”

After his exposure to the world on the tour with Choir 2, Dr. Robert went back to Uganda where the ACC paid Dr. Robert’s and his brothers’ tuition. He went on to med school in Kampala for his first degree, and then earned a Master’s Degree in Internal Medicine – in a country where there are only three nephrologists for a population of 30 million people. One of his brothers also became a doctor and the other brother became a civil engineer. Today, Dr. Robert works in the village where he was born, giving back to the community in ways that were unimaginable without the support of the African Children’s Choir.

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Meet Catherine Macharia, the twenty seven year old was born in Langas, one of the chief slums in Eldoret Kenya. She joined the African Children’s Choir back in 1993. At the time, Kenya, majorly Eldoret was undergoing political turmoil. Catherine toured with choirs ten and eleven, something she says was the greatest experience of her life, since she got to meet many great people and share the love of Christ with them. Most importantly, she appreciates belonging to the biggest and most loving family of the African Children’s Choir.

Early in 2011, Catherine graduated with a Diploma in Nursing and today, she works in the second largest slum in Kenya as a nurse midwife.To Catherine, the nursing experience is what she considers a God given opportunity to change lives and make a difference in various Women’s lives in her community.

It was a very difficult time for me as a child, given the fact that I could not go to school. Joining the African Children’s Choir was a miracle. Now, as a Nurse Midwife my greatest joy is when I help various women bring forth life, and witness the newly born make their first cry.God used the African Children’s Choir to bring out the best in me, and in many other children who are inspiring the world in different ways. God bless the ACC.

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See more at: https://africanchildrenschoir.com/about/success-stories/#sthash.Mz4zv1Lj.dpuf

 

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