M-Lisada marks 20th anniversary

M-Lisada, a brass-ensemble of former street children based at Ave Maria, Nsambya, in Makindye Division, has clocked 20 years of its inception.

Celebrations to mark the ensemble's 20^th anniversary were launched with a walk from M-Lisada Headquarters in Nsambya, to Bombo, where the organization recently acquired a 10-acre piece of land.

 Members of the organization planted grafted trees along the boundaries of their land and also staged a mini-concert of brass music. They further broke the ground for their proposed sh2bn Vocational Primary School, which will benefit vulnerable children supported by the organization and those within the community.

 The brass band team.

 M-lisada members with the banner of their proposed Vocational School

Bosco Ssegawa, the Founding Director of the ensemble explained: "We are celebrating our 20^th anniversary with the theme: From zero to twenty years working with vulnerable children and youths. We shall show-case our achievements, and challenges. We shall also use the celebrations to share with our development partners and government the successes we have achieved."

M-Lisada has rescued over 1083 vulnerable children and youths, giving them an opportunity to build their lives through programs like education, skills development, health-care and psycho-social support, economic empowerment, rehabilitation and re-unification with families among others.

"Today we support 518 children from Kampala, Kampiringisa National Rehabilitation Centre and Kalangala islands," Ssegawa emphasized.

Further activities in preparation of the organisation's grand celebrations will include an environmental conservation campaign, a 350km walk from Gulu to Kampala (June 1-16), Cultural, acrobatics and jazz music gala (May 21), a children's marathon and sports gala (July 17), Brass-band gala (August 25), Community Service (September 17), M-Lisada Anniversary Concert and Closing Dinner (October 28) and the mega wedding of Lucy Khan and Bosco Ssegawa.

Genesis of M-Lisada Brass Band

The name M-Lisada is a coinage from Music, Life-skills and Destitution Alleviation, a lived conviction by the founding members of the ensemble namely Bosco Ssegawa, Ronald Mukiibi and Henry Bwanika, who 20 years ago, were attracted off the streets of Kampala by the power and love of music.

The trio fell in love with brass music after meeting the pupils of St. Peter's Primary School, Nsambya Brass Band, who were doing practice at their school. The trainer of the Nsambya kids, Peter Ssendawula, allowed Ssegawa and his friends to practice with his boys after noticing their deep curiosity and interest in the brass musical genre.

After learning to play the brass instruments, Ssegawa and his friends took a decision to form a brass ensemble and subsequently use it to attract other children from the streets, where they had become incredibly dangerous to the public. They managed to convince one German University student, Christopher, who had come to Uganda to do research, to solicit for them second-hand brass instruments, with which they would start their band.

Christopher got some brass-instruments, which he sent to Ssegawa and his friends, through the German Embassy. This marked the beginning of M-Lisada Brass Band.

Owing to their unique musical talent, M-Lisada boys attracted the attention of MTN, who decided to sponsor their music education at the Kampala Music School. With their acquired ability to read music, M-Lisada eventually became a top-notch-brass-musical ensemble, able to play cabaret and concert music for VIP audiences.