The Facts

A figure of 12 Million AIDS Orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa is mind boggling, particularly when one considers that everyone is an individual person, under the age of 17. How does one provide these children with a future when faced with these staggering numbers? The key, we believe, lies in recognising that each and every one of these 12 Million Orphans is a child with the same basic needs and rights as any other child on this planet. When considering this, it becomes clear that making a difference in the life of only one child becomes a victory.

Ray Barnett, founder of Music for Life and the African Children’s Choir, when faced with the magnitude of suffering at the end of Idi Amin’s regime in Uganda, is quoted as saying “that the way to move a mountain is one shovel full at a time.” Ray translates that to one child at a time.

In a similar way, we have to refuse to despair at the size of the task, but rather focus on helping one child at a time, according to the mantra “helping Africa’s most vulnerable children today, so they can help Africa tomorrow!”

Based around the success of our international African Children’s Choir™ programme, the objective of our community projects is to reach out to orphans and vulnerable children uplifting and empowering them through the stimulation of the performing arts.

Breaking the problem down into something manageable, Music for Life has established a number of Music for Life Centres in the most severely affected areas in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda. Each Centre works with around 50 children. This model provides for an approach that is easily replicated so that as resources permit, we can open up many more Music for Life Centres across the continent of Africa.