African Children’s Choir set to perform
More than 52,000 African children have received an education through Music for Life, the parent organization of the African Children’s Choir, but the total number of people helped by the organization is a lot more than that.
“It allows them to not only better themselves, but that will also help their family as well,” said Amy Berry, the tour leader for the 48th African Children’s Choir, which will be perform-
ing 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 at Franconia Mennonite Church, 613 Harleysville Pike in Franconia Township (GPS Telford). Harleysville Pike is also Route 113.
The choir is made up of 7- to 10-year-old children, who after doing one tour with the group, return to school in their home country, Berry said.
The current choir has 18 children, she said.
“They are all from Uganda,” she said.
The children are not necessarily orphans, she said.
“A lot of these children live in impoverished areas,” Berry said. “They are in need of education because in Uganda they do have to pay to go to school.”
Music for Life provides schools or pays the school fees for the choir members through university, she said.
“The children melt the hearts of audiences with their charming smiles, beautiful voices and lively African songs and dances,” according to choir information.
Along with Ugandan music, the group sings gospel and contemporary music in English, Berry said.
“There’s also a drum ensemble,” she said.
Admission to the concert is free, with a free-will offering taken.
Music for Life supports 50 schools and has programs in seven African countries — Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa — according to information at africanchildrenschoir.com.
“Music for Life wants to ensure a better future for Africa by developing leaders who will, one day, go on to positively shape the continent they come from. We aim to equip youth with a high-quality education,
provide a leadership environment and instill Christian values. Our programs are specifically designed to build leadership capacity within the communities we serve,” the site says.
The first African Children’s
Choir was in 1984.
The choir has performed at places including the United Nations, the White House, Carnegie Hall and the London Palladium and done shows for U.S. presidents, the Queen of England and Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela.
“When we were trying to recapture the fantastic atmosphere of ‘Idol Gives Back,’ there was really only one group we could ask back, the African Children’s Choir,” Ryan Seacrest, American Idol host, is quoted on the choir’s website.
Berry, a Tennessee resident, said the African Children’s Choir is always looking for volunteers to chaperone future choirs. Information about being a chaperone is available on the website. Currently, the group is looking for chaperones who are also qualified as a bus driver, merchandise coordinator, sound technician or to help with administration and logistics, the website says.