By Derek Schlennstedt
On Friday, the Liberty Family Church in Healesville will be filled with the voices of Ugandan children.
The 10-person children’s choir is part of the 100% Hope charity and will see the Ugandan children dance, sing and give stirring performances from their homeland.
Many of the children performing with the choir have endured a difficult start to life and have harrowing accounts of their early lives in Uganda.
The 100% Hope charity was established by a Queensland woman, Trishelle Sayuuni, nee Grady who has created a 12-hectare property in Uganda that now provides housing and education for hundreds of children at any one time.
Despite the complications of visiting Uganda – including being taken hostage on the first day of the school operation – Trishelle has remained dedicated to giving impoverished, children a home and a childhood.
To help raise funds for the school, 100 per cent of the money received from the free choir performance goes to the charity.
Trishelle said they were aiming to raise enough for four fully-equipped girls’ homes, starting with homes for the 42 girls currently living in their classrooms.
“Many of our girls would have been child brides and already have babies by now if we had not rescued them,” Trishelle said.
“The need is overwhelming and it can become quite disheartening at times, but I try to focus on just helping one child at a time.”
Each $50,000 raised will provide a home for 16 girls and two house mothers.
Although Trishelle notes that Uganda is still a developing country with many problems, the choir let audiences experience the energy and joy of African culture, as well as an insight into their hardships.
“There’s so much joy in Uganda, even among the poverty, and we want to share that and inspire Australians,” Trishelle said.
“This is an incredible adventure for the choir, but they’re working so hard, because they know this is their chance to use their talents to help their 100% Hope brothers and sisters, now and into the future.”
Trishelle invites everyone to come and see the choir perform for free at Liberty Family Church, Old Lilydale Road, Healesville, Friday, 7 July, from 7pm onwards.
