6 minute read
MULIA FOUNDATION; CHANGING LIVES THROUGH MUSIC
Story by Christopher Mukasa
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Mr. Rogers Sserunjogi a Ugandan and Humanitarian, is the Founder of Music for Life Africa Foundation located in Nakisunga Sub County Mukono District - Uganda. Music for Life Africa Foundation has existed since 2014 and has uplifted many young talents. His organization uses music to identify young children’s interests nurture, direct and mentor them into various talent and skills across music, education and agriculture to give direction to their future baselining from their childhood. Mr Roger Sserunjogi is passionate about farming and music. Away from that, he is also a father and a community developer.
Music for Life Africa envisions in using music to mentor African rural children to focus on the interests of the children’s future talents, careers and more importantly keeping them close to their culture and origin. In my interaction with him, he stated that “when everyone in their capacity uses their ability and talents in uplift communities and children, the African continent will have a better future.’’ He believes that Africa and all talented children can make it to the heights if given an independent opportunity to take over its responsibilities and it only needs capacity building, support and guidance.
Background of MULIA Foundation
Music For Life Africa Foundation (MULIA) is a registered Community Based Organization with a long-term plan of Establishing a youth cultural, musical and educational centre in Uganda that promotes various skills focusing in Sectors of Education, Culture Preservation, Music, Information and Communications Technology Integration (ICT) with target groups of Youth and kids in collaboration with their parents.
He believes that such startups that cut across all sectors can bring change to our continent Africa. Mr. Rogers Sserunjogi further believes that giving chances to any human to do things his or her own way without influence can bring much progress and results. He believes that failure is not the end of life, but trying again brings ideas to life once given more chances.
Ever trying and never giving up is his way of life. He gives a challenge to everyone to try starting something that they have done in their area to give opportunities of development to new ideas and developments in new areas. In so doing, more people in different parts of the world will be empowered.
THE FOUNDATION BELIEFS
At Music For Life, we believe that our daily struggles, accomplishments and celebrations can be fitted in music. Music inspires, brings life, no matter the situation in our life. Music catalyzes and enhance the lives of the youth involved in our program. It allows them to explore and create community solutions towards challenges, explore their cultural identity, express their creativity, and raise funds to assist with their education and talents development hence introducing them to various opportunities.
Since 2014, the Foundation is on the frontline to empower vulnerable local children and youths through developing a platform where their talents in various life skills can be identified and supported as a way of preparing them for the future depending on their ability.
WHAT THEY ARE DOING?
“Community Children reading their books at Mako Lukooya Memorial Community Library” “Students Learning computer skills in the computer lab”
Education Program: Using music, they are able to bring closer the vulnerable children and youths to join the programs, this has helped the foundation shape up the children so that they focus on their education. The program involves working together with parents to support some of the children with education needs including school requirements and half support of school fees to some of them through use of the raised funds from the music performances that they make. They are also working with 60 children who are directly supported and over 200 that come over for social activities as well as using the community library, music instruments and sports activities.
Community Library and Adult Education: Marko Lukooya Memorial Community Library has contributed towards the education of many people in their community, there are over 1000 books borrowed from the library by children, youths, community adults and schools. The community llibrary servers over 1500 people including schools and community members in the villages they are serving.
The agriculture program: This is on of the starting points for hands on and life skills for the children and youths that MULIA foundation works with. Over the past 2 years they have been preparing their minds to start farming since it is a great venture for income generating and its not a punishment rather an activity where they can get money and also learn more about farming skills through their home gardens and local poultry farms. 70 youths and children are direct beneficiaries of the program, and 200 families are indirect beneficiaries from this program.
Students learning computer skills in the computer lab.
Harvest from the gardens
Talent Development and Trainings They have provided a number of trainings across music, dance, drama, and comedy. The kids and youths, who are averagely 12 years of age, have been developing their abilities to perform everything from traditional and cultural performances to international creative dances. 48 weekends of the year are fully utilized in both trainings and performances at events hence cultivating band, identifying talents among the rural kids and youths who might not be having a platform to ignite their potential.
Harvest from the home gardens
Mulia Charity Concert: The MULIA charity concert is one of the initiatives for sustainability employed by the Foundation to raise funds near the end of each year. Supplementing the funds collected from the other performances throughout the year, Earnings from the charity concert support the education for MULIA kids in the following year on top of well-wishers who support their education program.
MULIA Troop welcoming visitors at Herona Hospital – Kisoga
Mulia Youth Centre Construction: MULIA foundation embarked on the construction of a musical social centre hub since June 2018. The building is intended to accommodate indoor training, youth programs, a computer lab, a community library to fire up reading and writing culture among the youths and children not forgetting the parents themselves, hosting administrative offices to fuel office work, storage for all instruments. The outdoor will host most of the youth social activities like volleyball, netball among others.
Brass band training for girls
Community tourism is part of the foundation plans where urban youths and children can have a weekend at Mulia Foundation and experience village life that is full of life, with fresh air, exploring African living life, cooking traditional food, visiting gardens and eating fresh fruits. This gives a sense of environmental protection and appreciating all lifestyles.
The Future Plans
MULIA foundation is making efforts of embracing all African cultures to be preserved through music. This is being done by collecting at least 2 cultural dances across all African countries and maintaining them among the performances they do from Uganda at the foundation centre. As other countries might be losing their culture, MULIA Foundation stands to safeguard them.
The Mulia foundation is looking forward to move around the world showcasing the African culture through perforce by the youth. This will make the world be aware of how Africa has preserved its culture for million years. On top of that, all funds received will be used to support the education of youths and children from rural areas and strengthen cultural preservation in Africa. Rogers argues the government of Uganda to create cultural and musical centres across the country to make it possible to have the future citizens of the country grow with discipline as well as adding on value to the music industry of the country.
HOW YOU CAN JOIN?
To all musicians and instrumentalists all over the world, here is a platform where you can share your cultures through music and drama. You can join the MULIA kids and youths in their annual concert, follow them on their social media pages to know what they are upto and running, pay a visit at their music center and inspire the youths.
Website: https://www.music4lifeafrica.org
Email: muliafoundation90@gmail.com
Musical Centre at completion
