By Mandy Poole
Special to the Georgian
The Watoto Children’s choir will be returning to Stephenville’s Zion Pentecostal Church to perform on June 12, spreading their message of hope for Africa’s children.
The choir is comprised of 21 children between the ages of seven to 13. Each year the Watoto choir alternates between the Maritimes and Vancouver Island for their tours. This year they will be performing 175 tour dates.
Justine Stewart, a rep with Watoto, said that the children are very excited to be invited back to perform and share their inspiring stories.
“The children love being ambassadors to Africa,” said Ms. Stewart. “Today, Watoto is impacting the lives of more than 2,000 children who have been orphaned and abandoned as a result of the AIDS epidemic, civil strife, extreme poverty, or other catastrophic events by providing for their physical, emotional, educational and spiritual needs.”
The choir’s children are home-schooled as they tour; once the children return to Uganda they often find they are one year ahead with regards to grades.
“We find that their English and their confidence have improved, it’s a huge education benefit,” said Ms. Stewart.
The hour-long concert will feature African rhythms and harmonies, and is accented by colourful costumes and inspirational stories. It is free and family-friendly. An offering will be taken during the performance and opportunity given to sponsor a Watoto child.
Watoto means “the children” in Swahili. The Watoto group was established in 1994 as a response to the AIDS crisis in Uganda, East Africa. The group previously performed in Stephenville in 2007.
