Baby Gloria, the glory to fellow kids

May 22, 2011

THOUGH she has not fed children, clothed the destitute or given a home to street children, she has promoted child rights by example.

By Joyce Nyakato

THOUGH she has not fed children, clothed the destitute or given a home to street children, she has promoted child rights by example.

Daughter to John Ssenyonjo and acclaimed gospel Singer Betty Nakibuka, Gloria Mulungi Ssenyonjo a.k.a Baby Gloria came to the limelight at an early age of two years and eight months.

Though she could barely pronounce a word she sang anyway and for that, all children in Uganda now know her.

Baby Gloria, now nine years old, is highly gifted and possesses a powerful music talent which she has put into use.

She sings inspirational songs with an educative message especially to fellow children. To parents, she communicates the message, ‘promote children’s talents’.

The primary five pupil of Sir Apollo Kaggwa, has already had four song compositions.

Her stint as a child celebrity has inspired many mothers to pay attention to their children’s talents alongside their education.

Baby Gloria recorded her first Song Mummy Mummy and a video in 2003 that made her popular on local TV stations. Since then she has continued to release more songs.

In her debut album, Discover Your Talent she performed on Independence Day to an audience of over 2000 fans.

Since 2003, we have seen the advent of many child singers including Blessed Queen, Mary Arinda Mwiine, Little Tammy, The Triplets and Nabweru Parents School choir, who have been inspired by Baby Gloria.

After the Budo Junior school inferno, Baby Gloria took a leading role with other young talented children to stand against social evil of setting schools on fire which lead to the death of children and property.

Together with young music stars like Little Tammy and Nabweru children choir, Baby Gloria shot a musical video highlighting the fire events at Buddo.

The song was to bring awareness in a bid to condemn such cruel vices in society which had caused a lot of grief to parents.

Baby Gloria is the face, voice and ambassador of the Little Surprises Children’s home.

It is a community based non-profit organisation aimed at addressing the plight of the children kept in prison with their convicted mothers.

The goal is to improve the state of children through early childhood development care and to enrich their mental, physical, spiritual and social abilities.

Baby Gloria has recorded a video titled Little Surprise to that effect.

She dedicated her previously launched album to the Little Surprises children’s home project and part of the music proceeds are directed to the cause.

In the lyrics of ‘Little Surprises’, she empathises the dilemma these children may be going through.

No one loves me because my mother wronged them, is one of the lines in the song to depict the dilemma that the children face.

However, money is still required to rehabilitate and furnish a house in Kiwatule for the children.

The Government, in conjunction with Uganda Prisons, is willing to release the children to this home.

Recently, Baby Gloria visited Luzira Prison women’s wing to officiate at a birthday for some children whose mothers are still serving sentences.

“I feel bad when I see them suffering,” she says.

Today, Baby Gloria is more assertive and enlightened than the three year old girl we saw on TV in 2003. She has a surprising calmness and confidence.

She prides herself in having a lot of people around her and being friendly to fans.

Despite being in the public eye, at school she views herself as a normal student. She is treated as an equal by her teachers.

She jokes about how schoolmates wonder whether she writes Baby Gloria on her exercise books.

Even though she is a singer, she would love to be a doctor, engineer or a bank manager someday.


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