Bellingen mum Di McQueen knew she’d have a life changing experience during her cross cultural exchange tour in Uganda, but had no idea what a massive impact it would have on her.
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Di was one of 12 volunteers who travelled with Kwaya Australia to Kampala in September last year, where they worked on African Children’s Choir projects in the slums, performed at free concerts for residents, and ran Australian art and culture workshops for school children.
One of her memorable experiences was teaching the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey to more than 500 people at various slum schools and a local church, plus students at The African Children’s Choir school.
“It was such a highlight to see so many people enjoying something so silly.”
Di felt compelled to go to Uganda following The African Children’s Choir visit to Bellingen earlier this year, as part of its three-month tour of Australia.
“I fell in love with all the children and wanted to go and see them again.”
Di said the ‘intense’ experience ignited a passion to return to Uganda for more charity work and hopes to return in 2017, inspired by a desire to ‘do more’.
“It was emotionally challenging not being able to do more while I was there: Having the money to be able to feed those families, to send the children to school. That’s why I’m going back.”
Despite the challenges, Di said the experience had made her more humble.
“It’s also given me a sense of gratitude for what I have when I see so many people In Uganda with so much less than I have, being so grateful and happy. Everywhere I went, people were happy, despite their circumstances.”
“I’ve always loved the idea of going to Africa and have wanted to do something like this for years,” Di said.
“It was such an awesome and challenging experience because of the cultural exchange aspect of the program.”
During the past four years, 165 volunteers (aged between 13 and 75) have travelled to Uganda with KwaYa Australia, raising more than $310,000 in funds and donating 1300 kg of goods.
Volunteers work on crucial African Children’s Choir projects, including building fences and facilities at schools, clean-up projects, painting classrooms and dormitories, planting crops to feed the school children and providing daily supplies at orphanages.
Recent graduates of the African Childrens’ Choir will be conducting a workshop and concert at Coffs Harbour Showgrounds, Saturday 4th June. The fun, interactive workshop is at 2pm and the high energy, exciting concert is at 6pm. Both events are family friendly and help to raise much needed funds to support the incredible work of the African Children’s Choir.Tickets are selling fast and can be bought online at www.kwaya.org/UBUNTUConcertsandworkshops.html.
Find out more about Kwaya Australia’s work with The African Children’s Choir at www.kwaya.org.
