Education - Watoto Children's Choir performs at St. Clement's

For the past week, students in all classes have been collecting spare change in water bottles to send to students in Uganda, Africa for a water purification project called “Watoto Water for Kids.” The students collected more than $600 to be sent to Africa; however, some of the African children were able to meet and thank the students face to face Wednesday after performing the Watoto Children’s Choir “Concert of Hope.”

Watoto is an organization that began in 1992 through KCP, a thriving Christian church in Uganda. Watoto helps to form villages and families for children who have been orphaned in Africa through the AIDS crisis or war. The orphaned children are placed in families and given an education in order to rise above their strife in hopes to build future leaders for a better Uganda.

Watoto raises funds and awareness in part through the Children’s Choir that travels around the world performing in schools and churches.

Tina Mott, a mother of two St. Clement’s students, saw the Watoto Children’s Choir in Florida and knew it was something she wanted to share with the St. Clement’s community.

“I was so moved and inspired by these children,” she said. “Our children need to see how fortunate they are and open their hearts to the less fortunate, like the children of Uganda.”

All of the children in the Watoto Children’s Choir have lost both of their parents and were taken in by the program where they are cared for, loved and given food, clothing, education and spiritual guidance.

A 10-year-old girl who was participating in the choir told the St. Clement’s community her story.

“Both of my parents died when I was six and I lived with my grandmother until she died too. I had no one left to care for me when Watoto took me in. Now I go to school and have my own books, my own desk, my own uniforms and even my own shoes,” she said. “Today we are filled with joy and laughter because we are loved. Watoto is training us to build our country and make Uganda a better place.”

St. Mary’s Catholic School in Ballston Spa joined the students of St. Clement’s for the first time to experience the Concert of Hope.

“This is the first time the two Catholic schools have come together, and this was a wonderful message to share with the children,” said St. Clement’s principal Jane Kromm. “The children used their whole bodies to sing and portray their message that reaches everyone. This concert gives hope to all children of the world, not just in Uganda.”

The Watoto Children’s Choir has been performing internationally since 1994. They have been to many parts of the world to raise awareness such as France, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States. Through their music, the children of Watoto share their stories and express their newfound hope after suffering through the deaths of their families.

According to Watoto, by 2010, there will be 50 million children orphaned by AIDS. It is Watoto’s goal to rescue at least 10,000 children in Uganda by 2023 and replicate the Watoto model all across Africa which has provided a family, housing, education and health care to children who were previously left to fend for themselves. Through the Children’s Choir, audiences are informed of the plight of Africa’s children and are given the opportunity to help support or spread the world of Watoto.

“There’s something magical about the music of Watoto. It speaks to everyone around the world,” Kromm said.