First Annual Youth Group Singing Competition

We’ve been working with a local youth organization to host a teen group singing competition here in Zombodze, and the event is coming up in about a month. I know you didn’t ask, but I’m going to tell you about it anyway.

The participants will write/compose an original song on the theme, “healthy living, healthy lives,” and perform it in front of a panel of 4 judges—3 of whom are well-known Swazi musicians. The grand prize: an all-expense paid trip to a professional recording studio in the capital city where they’ll get to record a 5-track demo CD. The CD will be produced by a popular Swazi musician/producer, DD Cool. Plus, the group will get to perform their winning song onstage at this year’s Live Life Music Festival, which is held in a big park in the capital city (second-place group will also get to perform there). Other prizes include T-shirts, local restaurant and grocery store vouchers, and a DVD of the event performances.

There are a wide range of song topics that fit the theme, from drug-free living to faithfulness/abstinence/safe sex, to respecting others and being role models. We’re giving the groups a lot of leeway, but we’ll check ahead of time (via registration forms) to ensure that their songs fit with the general theme. Our goal is to encourage an open, public exchange of ideas and attitudes about these topics, letting the youth be the messengers. We also want to encourage the abundance of musical talent in Zombodze, providing a venue to showcase it as well as provide an opportunity for the winners to meet some Swazi bigshots and learn a bit about the business. It’ll be a daylong event with lots of health-related information tables and guest speakers, and a mobile HIV testing and counseling unit will be located onsite—something we’re pretty serious about these days.

The local youth organization we’re working with is called Zombodze Youth in Action (ZYA). We’ve lined up some great partners in order to make this event happen: Red Cross, Population Services International (PSI), Dance with EMAFU (a Swazi non-profit), Zombodze Central High School, Nhlangano AIDS Training and Information Counseling Center (NATICC—they’ll provide a mobile HIV testing/counseling unit at the event), and of course the US Peace Corps. Our own afterschool club, Leaders in Health, will also help out, as well as Zombodze’s MP and Indvuna (elected officials), and plenty of local churches. We think it would be great if this turns into an annual event for ZYA and the community.

There are still a few small but important things for which we’re seeking financing: money to buy blank DVDs and blank Cds, and about $150 to cover grand-prize related expenses. So if this event is something you want to contribute to, you can! $25-$50 USD really goes a long way here… if interested drop me an email and I’ll send you some specifics: cooktimothy@hotmail.com.
As a thank you, we’ll send you a DVD of the event and a copy of the winning group’s CD.