Message of hope for Africa

For a young child living in an impoverished African ghetto, going to university is a cruel dream. But a group of young stalwarts are using their vocal beauty to make dreams a reality.

St. Albert, sometimes generous to a fault in supporting education and children’s activities, can swing its mighty weight behind the Young Africans Choir (YAC) now on a five-month American-Canadian tour.

Through their personal testimonials they raise awareness about the plight of Africa’s orphaned and abandoned. Through their joyous song, dance and drumming, they shine a spotlight on the potential of every African child.

An offshoot of African Children’s Choir, the YAC is formed of young adults from past children’s choirs here to show how they benefitted from the younger group’s success. This is their debut tour of Canada and they will perform Our African Dream at St. Albert Evangelical Lutheran Church next Wednesday.

“It’s a spectacular performance of music and African dance. Despite coming from disadvantaged backgrounds they are very happy. It’s not just a show,” says tour leader Vic Thiessen. “We’re giving back to an audience who have supported us in rescuing and educating poor kids who would otherwise have very little.”

To get a clear picture of YAC, it’s important to revisit the work started by human rights activist Ray Barnett in 1984. Barnett was in Uganda at the time and was called on to help thousands of orphaned and starving children abandoned and helpless during Idi Amin’s bloody civil war.

As the story goes, amongst the chaos Barnett heard a young boy sing and was impressed that even the vulnerable had beauty, dignity and ability.

Inspired by the epiphany, Barnett started a choir of children seven to 12 years old and trained them to perform. The African Children’s Choir was readied for living in different cultures and sent to tour North American churches.

The world embraced them and soon they were releasing albums and DVDs. The choir appeared at events in the British House of Commons, the Pentagon and the United Nations.

The public was invited to meet them at some of the world’s most prestigious halls including Royal Albert Hall, the International Club of Berlin and Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels.

Celebrities also jumped on their coattails. By 2005 the choir performed at the LIVE 8 concert with Mariah Carey and Paul McCartney, and were invited on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tonight Show. Their vocals can also be heard on three movie soundtracks – Beloved, Hotel Rwanda and Blood Diamonds.

The charitable proceeds have gone back to support centres in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Rwanda where the focus is on education. Publicity co-ordinator Amanda Healy confirms that more than 50,000 children have been assisted with food, lodging, medicine and education.

As a renowned world choir, their pedigree is impeccable and their impact as a voice for millions of suffering children is immeasurable.

Now that the original young children have been cared for and supported in pursuing their post-secondary dreams, the Young Africans Choir of young adults from 18 to 21 was formed from past children’s choirs.

“Enough children have graduated we can show the fruits of everybody’s labour. With the other tours, you saw the children, but you didn’t see how they’ve grown up and how fruitful it is,” Healy adds.

Thiessen goes on to say that the 90-minute variety concert at St. Albert Evangelical Lutheran Church will be packed with lively African and gospel music, percussion rhythms and dance. The 14 singers and dancers will be dressed in a vibrant palette of Ugandan and Kenyan costumes.

“This is very high quality entertainment that brings a lot of hope to children to Africa.”