Empower African Children Blog

Hot Dogs at the Farmers Market

By Winnie Najjuma, Spirit of Uganda Chaperone

 

On Saturday, January 23, a few of the children took advantage of a beautiful sunny day (after nearly a week of rain and cold) to visit the Farmers Market in Davis, California. We walked to the market, which was only a few blocks from our hotel. We saw lots of food and fruit on sale, plus jewelry, plants, and even a violinist and guitarist playing soothing music. This atmosphere of market reminded them of our local markets back in Uganda.

 

The kids were very curious and checked out the items on sale. We got to a hot dog stand and Aunt Natalie asked if any of us wanted to have a hot dog. The children seemed unsure, until Florence (pictured on the right), one of the younger girls, pulled me aside and pointed at the hot dogs that were being given out. “Are those hot dogs?” she asked. She looked confused. I said, yes, those were hot dogs. She gave me a concerned look.

 

“You mean they eat the meat of dogs?” she asked, wide-eyed.

 

I laughed, assuring her that, no, “hot dogs” were not made from actual dogs. She and several of the other girls relaxed immediately, and placed their hot-dog orders — they preferred them without the bun.

 

Later as the girls enjoyed their treats, I heard some of them laugh among themselves. Apparently they all thought a hot dog was dog meat. The rest of the market was a great experience. We bought baskets, enjoyed ice cream and laughed with each other as we watched people walking countless species of dogs throughout the Farmers Market.

 

Visit the Spirit of Uganda page on Facebook for more photos from the Spirit of Uganda’s first few weeks on tour in Northen California.

SPIRIT OF UGANDA SOARS AT DALLAS CHILDREN'S THEATER

Editor's Note: The following article by Lisa Schreiner ran in the Neighbors Go section of the Dallas Morning News on July 19, 2008.

In a riveting performance of music and dance, Dallas Children's Theater (DCT) recently collaborated with Empower African Children (EAC) to present SPIRIT OF UGANDA in a joint fundraiser as they concluded their 21-city, coast-to-coast United States tour. SPIRIT OF UGANDA is comprised of 22 young ambassadors from East Africa who invigorated and inspired an audience of all ages at DCT's Rosewood Center for Family Arts.

Special guest Brenda Teele of WFAA’s Good Morning Texas, and DCT Board President Julie Hersh conducted a thrilling live auction raising $48,000 immediately following the performance! Proceeds from the entire evening totaled $240,000 and will benefit Empower African Children and Dallas Children's Theater's Education Programs.

 
DCT executive artistic director Robyn Flatt with Spirit of Uganda artistic director Peter Kasule and EAC executive director Alexis Hefley. Click here for more photos from the article.  All photos by Andy Hanson.

For additional information about Empower African Children visit www.EmpowerAfricanChildren.org

For additional information about Dallas Children's Theater visit www.dct.org

2008 Tour in Pictures

Now that the Spirit of Uganda 2008 Tour is over, we still have a huge task in front of us: organizing the thousands of photos that the children and staff took while on the tour. This process has reminded us of how deeply the tour impacted the life of each performer, the lives of the thousands of people they met along the way, and even our lives here at Empower African Children. It's been wonderful to relive some of these experiences and memories.

We just had to share some of these photos with you. Here is a quick preview of a few of our favorites, on-stage and off. Be sure to check out the rest of the gallery here and join us in looking forward to the next tour in 2010.

At the United Nations in New York, NY

Experiencing cold, snowy weather


Teaching others about Uganda culture, music, and dance

Taking time to play, relax, and have fun


Making new friends


And, of course, performing on stage

The Drum Raffle Winner is.....

LAURA BEERS from Baila Westside Dance Studio in Kansas City!

As the Spirit of Uganda traveled across the United States, more than a thousand audience members entered their name in the raffle for one of the beautiful, hand-made drums that was used in the performance. Thank you to all who participated, and congratulations Laura!

The People We Meet

As we travelled from one place to another with the Spirit of Uganda, we met extraordinary individuals who broadened our horizons and widened our minds in many ways. There were amazing people in every city we've visited, and I’d like to introduce you to a couple of them…

Francis Xavier Morrissey, Jr.
Francis came to one of our performances at the Joyce Theater in New York, and he became our friend instantly. He told us that he was inspired by the presence of all the children on the stage, but in turn we were inspired, too, by his generosity. He shared with us his history — how he went to Harvard University, studied in France and became a lawyer.

He spoke to us about having a vision and never losing sight of it, about working hard and involving God in our day-to-day life. He also talked about never letting anything get in our way to success. He mentioned that amidst violence around the world, Spirit of Uganda is energy the world needs. One day, he took the four tour members who are joining university this year to buy professional clothes! A total stranger became our friend for life.

Danny Williams
On our last day in Stamford, Connecticut, as we prepared to leave for New York, we were pleasantly surprised when we were told that the manager of the hotel, Mr. Danny Williams, had prepared a special breakfast for us. We were so excited about it! After we finished packing and loading the bus, we headed for the breakfast room and found Mr. Danny and his assistant, Cynthia, waiting for us. He received us warmly and introduced us to his staff. They were all really polite and helpful, and waiting on us like we were royalty. We had eggs, bacon — all sorts of mouth-watering dishes were there. We all felt honored.

He later spoke to us about how he became the General Manager of the hotel. It was amazing to learn how he started at the bottom, as one of the boys who worked with the housekeeping ladies, until someone thought he could become a front desk clerk. He then became the front desk manager and began to learn more about the hospitality and restaurant-management industry. Later he pursued a university degree in the field of hospitality. Mr. Danny continued to work hard and, through the years, pursued marketing and sales. We were really inspired by his story and his kindness, and were touched by how well his staff engaged with us, ate with us and spent time with us.  Thank you, Danny Williams, and all the wonderful staff at the Sheraton in Stamford. You have made a difference in our lives.

Carol Penn
I mentioned Carol Penn already in the Philadelphia post.  In addition to giving us a grand tour of the City of Brotherly Love and treating us to a day of swimming and games at a local community center, Carol and her wonderful family also invited us to attend her church, Greater Exodus Baptist Church. We were warmly received by Rev. Dr. Herbert Lusk and the members of the congregation, and I must say that was the most powerful church service we have attended while on tour. The choir was amazing and the pastor preached in such an energetic way that we were all blessed. This a church with a vision, and that vision already extends to work in Africa. We enjoyed the service and enjoyed spending time with these passionate individuals. Thank you, Carol Penn

Last Stop...Dallas

This week the Spirit of Uganda tour bus rolled into Dallas, Texas -- the final stop on our 22-city US tour. What better way to wrap up the tour than in Empower African Children's own hometown?

Like audiences across the U.S., we weren't disappointed. It was an incredible night with an enthusiastic performance in front of a hometown crowd, followed by an always entertaining question-and-answer session with the audience. The audience was buzzing as the performance ended with an auction and surprise gift from the Hersh Foundation. It made the night a very successful fundraiser for both Empower African Children and Dallas Children's Theater. 

Next week, the children make the long trip back to Uganda. Stay tuned, though. There is lots more to come on the blog.

Check out a photo gallery of the Spirit of Uganda at Dallas Children’s Theater.

Watch our visit to a local televsion show Good Morning Texas.

Read this week’s article in the Dallas Morning News.

Where do the children train for the tour?

A popular question for Spirit of Uganda members is Where do the children train for the tour? There are 30 members of the Spirit of Uganda dance troupe, though only 22 of them are traveling on the 2008 tour. They all attend boarding schools in and around the capital city of Kampala, Uganda. On the weekends and school holidays, they travel into the city to the Kisugu House (pronounced chi-su-gu), which is named for the neighborhood where it’s located.  This house is where the children live and train while they are rehearsing for the tour.

Kisugu is considered a middle-class suburb of Kampala, and most of the neighbors really enjoy the music. They’re often caught peering over the fence to get a peek at the show, and who can blame them? The children train outdoors on the asphalt driveway in front of the home, set against the lush, green flowering landscape that’s common to central Uganda.

Children sleep in bunk beds — similar to the sleeping arrangements at their schools — and have a home administrator who lives with them to care for them and enforce house rules. They also have a cook who prepares healthy meals each day and a guard who protects the compound.

On longer holidays, the children go home to their stay with their families. Most of the children have lost at least one of their parents, but they each have family members whom they can visit. Of course, it’s important for them to stay connected to their family, culture, and community. After training for the weekend or holiday break, the children return to their respective boarding schools.

Check out a photo gallery of Spirit of Uganda training in Kampala, Uganda at the Kisugu House and Sharing Hall.

Spirit of Uganda to Perform at UN Headquarters

Every year the Staff Union at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City celebrates a special "Staff Day" to celebrate and honor the various staff members of the U.N., including the Secretary-General. This year's U.N. Staff Day is April 25, 2008, and Spirit of Uganda has been invited to appear in front of the audience of over 10,000 people.

The festivities include a variety of cultural performances calling attention to different regions of the United Nations. Spirit of Uganda will represent the many talented artists and musicians of Africa. Other performing troupes from Asia, Europe, and South American will also be present. Our Staff Day audience includes U.N. delegates from 192 countries, key representatives of top Fortune 500 companies, and other special guests.

We're honored to have been invited to such a significant event, and look forward to the chance to bring the "Spirit of Uganda" before a truly global audience.

Brotherly Love in Philadelphia

I had heard that if you visit Philadelphia but don’t visit the Liberty Bell, the Constitution Center, and Independence Hall — then you shouldn’t tell people you’ve been to Philadelphia.  Fortunately, our friend Carol Penn and her family gave us the opportunity to visit all of these sites, where we witnessed the birthplace of American liberty and freedom.

We started the day at the theater at the Constitutional Center, where the narrator described to us the events that led to the freedom Americans enjoy. One highlight was Signers’ Hall, where the children enjoyed the life-size bronze statues of the Founding Fathers. You can’t help but be amazed at how much time and dedication went into making these statues. More than anything, we learned that a group of persistent individuals with a vision can change the world in ways beyond imagination.

While we were in Philadelphia, we also had a chance to release some energy when we visited the Greater Plymouth Community Center. It was an afternoon full of games and sports like swimming, soccer, basketball, net ball, volleyball, and cricket. It felt great to exercise and enjoy some of the games children love to play. We are so grateful for all the opportunities that have come our way! Here are a few fun photos from the day.

 

Sitting with Faith

   
Faith Kansiime is a 16-year-old member of Spirit of Uganda and one of the troupe’s great personalities. We sat down with her recently to let you get to know her.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Kansiime Faith. I have one sibling, Phylis Asiimire, who is 10. My hobbies include getting mail, making friends, learning about other cultures, touring and writing poetry. I love basketball, soccer, and dancing too. I am 16 years old and my birthday is February 20th

How would you describe yourself in a word?
(She uses her hands to stress the words, says the words with conviction and then laughs shyly) A girl with passion!

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
(With a distant look on her face) I see myself as a famous poet. I would one day like to publish my poems. I could also write lyrics for songs. I will still dance, but I will do it as a hobby. I would also like to be a social worker because I like helping people and counseling them. I know my experiences will help a lot of people.

With whom did you live before you joined Empower African Children?
(She hesitates, pausing in thought.) Hmmm…my sister Phyllis and I have always lived with my Grandma, Mrs. Kahororo Mary. I don’t know why we never lived with my parents, but it’s a topic that my grandma would rather not discuss with us, so we don’t ask a lot of questions, because then she gets upset.

How did you get into professional dancing?
My uncle, Mr. Humphrey Nuwamanya, was a trainer with the troupe called Musica Parsarva Vidas that toured in Spain. My sister and I performed with the group and traveled twice to Spain. I had performed several times in school shows and my uncle saw my talent and that’s how I got into his dance troupe.

How did you join Empower African Children?
(She smiles.) My uncle is friends with David Kasata, who is also a trainer and assistant to Peter Kasule, the artistic director of Empower African Children. He asked my uncle if I could join Empower African Children after I left Musica Parsarva Vidas.

Has HIV/AIDS impacted you?
Yes. I lost an uncle to AIDS in 2005. He had some money and he had promised to take care of me when AIDS snatched him from me.

How do you feel empowered on this tour?
I have had a chance to perform in the most amazing theatres and for the nicest audiences. That has boosted my self-esteem and confidence. I feel that what I do may touch some one and change them forever and when the audience is enjoying our performances, I feel so good. I also feel very loved and cared for by Empower African Children.

What has been your best and memorable moment on stage?
When we are through with a performance, many times we get standing ovations. This is my best moment. I see peoples’ happy faces and they wave at us and that makes me really proud of me and all my brothers and sisters who are with me on stage. I actually don’t feel tired, even though the dances I do are really vigorous. I feel — I feel like I did it.

What’s the most interesting thing you have seen so far in the USA?
The tunnel that goes through Hudson River was pretty amazing. I have never seen anything like it before. The New York skyscrapers also are amazing… (she laughs)…and the huge screens on the side of the buildings. There’s so much!

What has been your favorite city so far?
I loved all the places I have been to, but I have loved New York best because it’s crowded — like Kampala, our capital city. It kind of feels like home. Chinatown also felt like home because I could bargain on almost everything I wanted to buy!

If you had one wish, what would it be?
(Faith seems shy about answering this one and takes time to think about it, before playfully breaking into a song: “I wish I could fly like an angel…”)
I would have loved for my sister and me to be raised by both my parents, because nothing compares to the love that your parents give you. I really feel loved by all the children and people who work with Empower African Children, but still I miss that motherly love and relationship that I could have had with my mother.

A poem by Faith:

Life
From weary to strong
Poor to rich
Unhealthy to healthy
Ugly to beautiful
Gave a hand, came in passion.
My togetherness kept me going.
Till now found that
Was lost but now newly found
and branded.
Unblinded and has a future
Has a vision and dream
What an achievement

Faith Kansiime