[afro-nets] "Watoto Wa Mungu" Kenya

[Janet Feldman <kaippg@earthlink.net>]

"Watoto Wa Mungu" Kenya: Children's Choir Director Seeks
Dates/Venues/Musicians in USA
--------------------------------------------------------

The Don Rawzi Mission for "Watoto Wa Mungu" (Children of God),
Kenya's popular children's choir: Outreach to Artists for a
Benefit CD, booking of concert venues, promotion of "Watoto Wa
Mungu" CDs and videos

(Don Rawzi is the Music Director of the Nyumbani Home for Chil-
dren in Nairobi. He also works with the Lea Toto program. For
more see http://www.nyumbani.org)

The Watoto Wa Mungu music group is now among the most popular
entertainers in East Africa. After only two years on the music
scene they have accomplished so much. At the 2004 Kisima Awards
(Kenya's equivalent of the Grammys), they were nominated for
Best New R&B group, and won Best Video East Africa for "Watoto
Inkane," a collaboration with Ambassada, Uganda's gospel super-
star. They are the youngest group to reach this far.

They also hold the record at KAME FM radio as the only group to
hold number one for more than 5 weeks, with "Shauri Yako," which
was the first song that they recorded. Right now, the group has
made five music videos and recorded 17 songs collaborating with
the top artists from East Africa, such as Amani, Rufftone (best
gospel artist 2004), Henrie Mutuku (best female artist 2003 and
2004), Mashifta, Ousman, Wakimbizi (Best Hip Hop Group 2004),
Ambassada, and Don Rawzi. Don organized and trained Watoto Wa
Mungu and wrote many of their songs.

Music is a vehicle for social and political change and it also
has therapeutic properties. The Children of God orphans have
successfully fought off the stigma and discrimination that was
directed toward them at school and in the society at large. Be-
fore the CD came out, many people would not even shake hands
with them.

Right now there are many requests for their music on all the 8
FM radio stations in Kenya. Their videos are on heavy rotation
on East African TV. This has made the children famous in Kenya.
Now they have many friends, thus building up their self-esteem.
In school there is no more of the frequent abuse, as the other
children see them as role models.

The Watoto Wa Mungu music group has performed for the British
High Commissioner, Edward Clay, at his request; for Tommy Thomp-
son, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; at the United
Nation's headquarters in Gigiri, Kenya; for Kenyan Vice Presi-
dent Moody Awori; the First Lady Mrs. Lucy Kibaki; the Kenya
United States Association; the World Red Cross Day; and for the
president His Excellency Mr. Kibaki, to name just a few.

Don Rawzi has also initiated arts and craft training at the Lea
Toto outreach program, empowering the women with skills so that
they can be economically stable to better care for their chil-
dren. Don has a policy of "each one teach one," which with the
right kind of funding can reach over 1000 women per year. This
will encourage more women who care for HIV+ children to join Lea
Toto. They can become independent and run small-scale businesses
from their homes. There is a need for a worldwide market for the
art and crafts that they produce.

Currently Don has taught over 150 women in tie-and-dye and bead-
work, but the program needs start-up capital for tools and mate-
rials. Don has more plans to teach leatherwork, jewelry, and
dress making and designing. The money the women make allows them
to offer a balance diet to their children and also be able to
afford necessary medical care. In one month, Don can train 100
women, if he has the right kind of funding for this project.

Don is now in the U.S. to explore marketing the Watoto Wa Mungu
CD there. From initial contacts in Washington and New York, it
seems to have great potential, if the formidable copyright re-
quirements can be met. Fortunately, through COGRF President Ben
Palumbo, excellent pro bono Washington attorneys are helping:
Mark Traphagen of Collier Shannon Scott and Janet Fries of Drin-
ber Biddle. In addition, Don has contacted many popular artists
in the U.S. who are willing to dedicate and donate their songs
to Nyumbani for a benefit CD.

If you can help in any way, please contact
Don Rawzi
mailto:donrawzi2@yahoo.com
Tel.: +1-202-337-5174

Don is looking for musicians to donate songs for a CD, and he is
looking for concert venues where the children can perform. Also
helpful would be connections to crafts-related wholesalers and
retailers. Thanks so much!

--
Janet Feldman
mailto:kaippg@earthlink.net