A Ugandan children's choir will light up the stage and hearts at two free concerts in Northland next month.
For the first time in New Zealand, the Mwangaza Children's Choir from Uganda will perform free concerts in Kerikeri and Dargaville on behalf of Tearfund, giving the audience a taste of African culture.
Vibrant costumes, joyful music, energetic dancing, infectious smiles and inspirational stories will be part of the experience as 18 children aged from 8 to 12 dance and sing their hearts out in the 2018 Light Up Tour. The Kerikeri concert is on May 2, at The Turner Centre, with the Dargaville show at the Town Hall on May 3. Both concerts will start at 7pm.
Mwangaza (pronounced m-wahn-GAH-zah) means shining light in Swahili and that's exactly what you will see in the faces of the children as they perform, says Tearfund marketing manager Brenda Won.
"The children of Uganda have been greatly challenged by poverty, HIV/Aids, and many have been taken by the Lord's Resistance Army and forced to become child soldiers. These kids are representing all the children of Uganda and showing that with the help of child sponsorship, Uganda's children can rise above these things and make the country a different place," Won said.
