Watoto Children’s Choir
Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES: I acknowledge that my colleague Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile has given me his time to speak in order that I might get home a little earlier in the morning. Tomorrow at lunchtime I have the privilege of hosting one of the world’s very special youth choirs here in Parliament House—the Uganda’s Watoto Children’s Choir. Watoto means “the children” in Swahili. And being based in Uganda’s capital Kampala has been no impediment to the choir going international. It is almost constantly flying around the globe singing traditional unaccompanied music. The choir has performed in front of Presidents and Prime Ministers the world over, including Prime Minister Tony Blair and twice for President George W. Bush.
Notwithstanding the beauty of its 18 lyrical and earthy African voices, there is actually another reason why it is additionally remarkable. The members of the choir have certainly not had an easy life growing up. Each of the children lost both of parents as a result of the AIDS virus. There are not many harder difficulties to overcome, materially or emotionally, than being born to parents who are dying from the AIDS virus in impoverished East Africa. This start to life is not all that uncommon in Uganda these days. Currently 12 per cent of all children in Uganda are orphaned by the age of 15. The AIDS virus itself has orphaned a phenomenal 1.7 million Ugandan children since the onset of the pandemic, 940,000 of whom are living today still under the age of 15.
In response to this crisis amongst the parentless children of Uganda, Gary and Marilyn Skinner began Watoto child care ministries in 1994. Firstly, homes were constructed to provide shelter for the most desperate children. Then they also began providing the children with food, clean water, clothing and care. To do their work they have always relied upon charitable donations and volunteer labour of caring Christian people in more affluent countries. That is where the choir comes in. They raise awareness of the needs of the children back home in Uganda. The Skinners also believed that if the children were to receive holistic care, they should also be provided with Christian spiritual guidance as they grow through their formative years without the natural benefit of parental instruction.
Clusters of homes for the children have been built, usually by volunteers from First World countries who take their holidays from work to help. The homes are centred around a primary school, clean water source, medical clinic and multipurpose hall that can be used for church services and as a community centre. Today this ministry has grown to a point where it is now providing on-site care for more than 1,200 orphans whose parents have died of AIDS. The members of the Watoto Children’s Choir are the international ambassadors for the Watoto child care ministries back home in Uganda, and we are looking forward to hosting these inspirational and beautiful children in the Parliament tomorrow. They will share with us their delightful choruses and there will be an exchange of goodwill and mutual celebration that comes from being in the presence of children who have overcome such terrible hardship. They are certainly an inspiration to us all, and a good reminder to always count the blessings that we enjoy daily.
We wish them well for the remainder of their tour around New South Wales and wish them safety while travelling. Their cracking schedule is about 40 performances across the State in about five weeks. Such a strenuous travel schedule would stop me and many of my colleagues. We would also like to offer a big thank you to the sponsors who have graciously donated items for auction to raise money for the Watoto ministry. These include Breville, Sydney’s Captain Cook Cruises, Gloria Jean’s Coffee, Word Bookstore in Angel Place, Sydney Tower Restaurant, Nick’s Restaurants at Darling Harbour, Taronga park Zoo, and Alive and Christian Woman Magazines. Tomorrow’s luncheon would certainly not be the success it is bound to be without those sponsors, and I appreciate their involvement.
If members wish to contribute to the Watoto charitable auction, I advise that it will remain open until 10 o’clock in the morning. Members who place a bid for any of the auction items before that time tomorrow morning might come away with a very good bargain. The entire proceeds raised from the luncheon and the auction will go to help the children, whose parents have died of AIDS. I commend the auction to all members of the House. 07 June 2006.
