Children of Uganda find hope through Tour of Light

ALEC CLAYTON, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, March 22, 2002

Out of intense tragedy comes exuberant joy and hope as the Children of Uganda perform exhilarating programs of African music and dance with commanding skill and an awesome richness of human spirit.

The group is made up of 18 orphans ages 6 to 17 who serve as ambassadors for the 1.4 million other AIDS and war-related orphans living in Uganda.

Winners of the "Best Performers" category at the International Children's Festival at Wolf Trapp in Washington, D.C., and described as "jubilant abandon" by The Washington Post, the performance consists of traditional African songs and cultural dances accompanied by the rhythms of authentic African instrumentation.

These orphaned children come from the heart of the AIDS epidemic, which has devastated sub-Saharan Africa.

"The pandemic which infects 33.6 million people worldwide, 23.3 million of them in sub- Saharan Africa, constitutes as great a threat to international security as any military conflict," said William Dowel in a Time Magazine article.

"The global death toll from AIDS was 2.6 million (in 1999) alone. Roughly 85 percent of those deaths occurred in Africa," reported Jeffrey Bartholet in Newsweek. "By the end of (the year 2000) an astonishing 10.4 million African children under 15 ... lost their mothers or both parents to AIDS -- 90 percent of the global total of AIDS orphans."

Who are these children?

Andrew Mukasa is 14. His mother died of HIV, and his father is living with the disease and is too weak to work. Andrew has two sisters and a brother, and his father has four other children. There are other relatives, but they are unable to take care of the children.

Bena Nassuna, 15, lost both of her parents to AIDS. Her only living relative, an aunt, cannot afford to care for and educate Bena and her three siblings.

Johnson Rugyendo, 11, lost his father to AIDS. His mother has HIV. She runs a small grocery store and supports four children. They live in a rented house with no electricity or running water.

These and hundreds more are the children of Uganda. Many fend for themselves on the streets. Destitute girls often turn to prostitution to survive, and unconnected boys may turn to violence and crime.

"Children of Uganda presents a vibrant and inspiring program of East African dance and offers Americans a compelling opportunity to make a difference in the global AIDS epidemic," said Alexis Hefley, president of the Uganda Children's Charity Foundation.

The money raised by the tour will allow the foundation to give more than 1,000 children education, food, shelter and medicine, Hefley said.

The children play a variety of handmade drums, harps and xylophones and perform dances from a number of countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania and Kenya and sing in Luganda, Swahili and English.

"The performance tells many stories -- that of Uganda and East Africa's amazing history, its vibrant culture, and most importantly how to persevere and thrive in the face of loss and adversity," said Frank Katoola, Children of Uganda choreographer.

The Children of Uganda began performing as part of local ceremonies and now travel throughout Uganda and tour the world. Children of Uganda's Tour of Light has been produced in the United States biennially since 1994, appearing at universities, community and civic theaters, school and churches to promote global awareness of the AIDS-related crisis in Uganda and to raise funds to provide basic necessities and education for the Ugandan orphans.

"Traveling with Children of Uganda has allowed me to see the United States and tell American children about my country and culture," said Emmy Anguyo, 17, a veteran of the tour who is in the 11th grade and lost both parents to AIDS. "I want to tell America that no matter what happens to you in life, there is always hope."

Alec Clayton is a free-lance writer who lives in Olympia.

The Children of Uganda Tour of Light

- When: 7:30 p.m. March 26.

- Where: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.

- Cost: $9.25-$26.50. Group discounts available, half-price student rush tickets available one hour before the show.

- More information: Call 360-753-8586 or see www.washingtoncenter.org.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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