Divas Unite again for charity
May 31, 2009
THE year was 2005. Local songstress, Halima Namakula got her maiden nomination to the prestigious KORA Music Awards in South Africa courtesy of her song, Cheza.
By Moses Opobo
THE year was 2005. Local songstress, Halima Namakula got her maiden nomination to the prestigious KORA Music Awards in South Africa courtesy of her song, Cheza.
She was booked at the same hotel as Nigerian diva, Kefee Branama. The next morning over breakfast, they met a few other female nominees like Kenya’s Wahu, Amani and Jay D.
As they chatted, they discovered that they all, co-incidentally, were women activists. With this discovery, the idea of uniting as divas for a humanitarian cause was mooted.
Unknown to them then, the foundations for the Divas Unite social initiative had been laid. Halima Namakula, Kefee Branama, Kenya’s Amani, and Rwanda’s Sandra Karigirwa became its pioneer members.
“The purpose of Divas Unite was, and still is, to get all female artistes with exemplary performance and recognition in their respective countries who are regarded as great role models amongst their communities,†explains Halima Namakula.
“We hold concerts in our respective countries and offer a percentage of the proceeds back to the under-privileged in the local communities.â€
The divas organise activities in their countries to boost and enlighten the young up-coming divas about social responsibility.
Last year, Halima organised the maiden Divas Unite Live gala at the Kampala Serena Hotel, in a colourful event that also marked her 10th anniversary in the music industry.
The purpose of last year’s Divas Unite was to help at least three needy girls by paying their university tuition.
However, the money raised from corporate endorsements by the event’s sponsors could only cater for one girl, who is now pursuing an engineering course at Makerere University.
This time, the intended beneficiaries are the people of Kikongo village in Hima, Kasese, who are in dire need of a dispensary.
Various activities will take place with the climax at the Serena Hotel on September 19, 2009.
Here, a live performance from the upcoming divas is on the cards. They are; Grace Ashy from Ghana, Rachel K from Uganda, Queen from Rwanda, Jay Ofia from Nigeria and Riziki from Burundi.
Halima says of Ghana’s and Burundi’s inclusion on the programme: “The whole concept is Divas Unite Africa. It’s about identifying that one special person in any African country and getting them on board.â€
“We want our men to endorse Divas by attending it,†says Halima. “Last year, the audience was half men and half women.â€
THE year was 2005. Local songstress, Halima Namakula got her maiden nomination to the prestigious KORA Music Awards in South Africa courtesy of her song, Cheza.
She was booked at the same hotel as Nigerian diva, Kefee Branama. The next morning over breakfast, they met a few other female nominees like Kenya’s Wahu, Amani and Jay D.
As they chatted, they discovered that they all, co-incidentally, were women activists. With this discovery, the idea of uniting as divas for a humanitarian cause was mooted.
Unknown to them then, the foundations for the Divas Unite social initiative had been laid. Halima Namakula, Kefee Branama, Kenya’s Amani, and Rwanda’s Sandra Karigirwa became its pioneer members.
“The purpose of Divas Unite was, and still is, to get all female artistes with exemplary performance and recognition in their respective countries who are regarded as great role models amongst their communities,†explains Halima Namakula.
“We hold concerts in our respective countries and offer a percentage of the proceeds back to the under-privileged in the local communities.â€
The divas organise activities in their countries to boost and enlighten the young up-coming divas about social responsibility.
Last year, Halima organised the maiden Divas Unite Live gala at the Kampala Serena Hotel, in a colourful event that also marked her 10th anniversary in the music industry.
The purpose of last year’s Divas Unite was to help at least three needy girls by paying their university tuition.
However, the money raised from corporate endorsements by the event’s sponsors could only cater for one girl, who is now pursuing an engineering course at Makerere University.
This time, the intended beneficiaries are the people of Kikongo village in Hima, Kasese, who are in dire need of a dispensary.
Various activities will take place with the climax at the Serena Hotel on September 19, 2009.
Here, a live performance from the upcoming divas is on the cards. They are; Grace Ashy from Ghana, Rachel K from Uganda, Queen from Rwanda, Jay Ofia from Nigeria and Riziki from Burundi.
Halima says of Ghana’s and Burundi’s inclusion on the programme: “The whole concept is Divas Unite Africa. It’s about identifying that one special person in any African country and getting them on board.â€
“We want our men to endorse Divas by attending it,†says Halima. “Last year, the audience was half men and half women.â€