T he Bitone children's center gives Angel Ndagire, 10, a renewed sense of self-confidence and hope through music, dance, poetry, and theater.
She is 1 of 24 orphans who live at the children’s home and school in Kampala, Uganda. Bitone, which means talents in Luganda, integrates performing arts with education, providing a form of therapy for 8- to 18-year-olds who have lost their homes or been separated from their families because of civil war, disease, or economic hardship.
"We don’t want to use art just to entertain the children, but to make change in some way," says Lawrence Branco Sekalegga, founder and executive director. "We use art therapy for the kids, but we also give them art training to equip them with life skills."
Sekalegga teaches the children traditional Ugandan dance, music, and theater. By connecting them with their heritage and providing basic food, shelter, and education, the center aims to distance the youth from the cruelty of their pasts while giving them hope for a successful future.
To further that goal, the Rotary clubs of Kampala-East and Traverse Bay Sunrise, Michigan, USA, are providing support to the facility with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants.
Heinert learned about Bitone in 2007, when Sekalegga stayed at his home in Traverse City during a church choir outreach program. He was inspired by Sekalegga’s mission and resolved to help him improve the center. Being a Rotarian, Heinert says, allowed him to tap the necessary resources.
"Branco has a huge heart and an even bigger passion for music and art," says Heinert, who visited Bitone in 2008. "He connected the two to give underprivileged children a chance at a better life."
"Branco has a huge heart and an even bigger passion for music and art," says Heinert, who visited Bitone in 2008. "He connected the two to give underprivileged children a chance at a better life."
The children recorded an album in 2008 and have traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the East African Theater Institute’s cultural festival. In 2009, they performed in the 19th Global Smart Partnership Dialogue in Munyonyo, Uganda.
The Kampala-East club allocates the Foundation grant funds and develops partnerships with outside organizations willing to support the home.
"We are very happy with what we have accomplished so far, but we believe there is more to be done," says Joseph Kigula-Mugambe, past club president. "When the kids are performing, you can see how happy and confident they are. I’m proud that Rotary has a part in the positive impact this home has made on these kids’ lives."