Our hope is above: 2009 US tour

Mwamba children’s choir has a vision of building a children’s community centre which will involve schools, accommodation, medication centre, health centre and gardens. They are part of a local charity I am Children’s family which looks after abandoned children, street children, orphans, single parent kid who can not afford education or a place where to leave.

The US tours have been fundamental to their vision that land has already been set aside ready for the construction to start.

Stephen Sekitende project director said “We have a dream to build a multi-purpose facility to accommodate and teach our children in a safe and God-fearing environment”

The local media has blogged and reported on the choir as there has  been a buzz about the choir in the US state of Maryland.

“Students in Westminster got a very special concert Tuesday morning. The Mwamba Children’s Choir performed. It took the children 24 hours to get to the United States from Africa, and they came all this way to sing and dance” WBAL TV News

To watch a video clip click on Ugandan Children’s Choir Sings For Md. Students Just to let you know there is an 18 seconds advertisement you will have to bear if you want to watch the full report.

When used for the right reasons, music can make a difference in someone’s future, as most of these children would not have dreamed of boarding a plane for the sole purpose of singing and in the end their lives are changed forever.

When you lose a friend to a fatal disease, most times you lose hope and strength to live but to friends of  Leona Dehaney who died of sickle cell anaemia in 2004 at a tender age of 18 this was a life changing moment.

“Sickle cell anemia is a disease in which your body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells. The cells are shaped like a crescent or sickle. The sickle cells get stuck in blood vessels, blocking blood flow. This can cause pain and organ damage” MedlinePlus

Friends Cherelle Augustine, Nordia James, Marsha Motherstill and Edward Maughan, started a campaign to raise awareness of the blood disease, and also raise funds to help sufferers and medical research into it’s cure.

Show time: Broken Silence Talent show 2009

The campaign was code named ‘Broken Silence’ a talent show which has grown from humble beginnings of four ambitious friends determined to educate the young generation about sickle cell to a full blown charity which runs the talent show annually.

In July 2006 the first ever Broken Silence Talent show auditions opened their doors to a range of talented young men and women from all backgrounds judged in different catergories, solo artists, groups and dancers.

After the auditions process the contestants look up to the final show which has always been hosted at Brent town hall in Wembley where those who impressed the Broken Silence judges are put through and judged by celebrity judges who for the past years have included Radio personalities, Actors and Musicians.

‘Over the past four years, Broken Silence have entertained over 2,800 people and raised over £17,000. The money has provided a commemorative plaque for Leona Dehaney’s grave, Nintendo Wiis for children’s’ wards of two London hospitals, a DVD player and money toward a blood exchange pump for Central Middlesex Hospital’s daycare Unit and £1,000 donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital to aid research into Chronic Blood Disorders and Blood Cancer’

The charity has also been inthe UK paliament to advocate for the use of Transcranial Doppler Scanning(TCD) guidance for children with sickle cell disease which has been proven to help prevent strokes.

Broken Silence at the UK Parliament

“Lord Smith of Clifton, who was himself a trustee of the Stroke Association, first met with Broken Silence in 2008 and champions the work they have done to date on highlighting the need for TCD scanning “Having experienced a stroke myself, I know the effect it can have on your everyday life. It’s distressing to think of young people with sickle cell disease having a stoke, particularly if the risk can be reduced by receiving the right treatment… I hope that these new standards will be implemented as quickly as possible”

This just goes to prove that if you can do anything if you put your mind to it, as the Broken Silence original 4 have demonstrated. You can reach people from different backgrounds, ages, races and gender through a music talent show and lives can be changed tremendously.

For more information on how to break the silence or how to fund Broken Silence click here