The Matsiko choir is comprised of 25 orphaned and at-risk Ugandan children, ages 6-14, who offer electrifying performances of Ugandan folk music, traditional dance and drumming.

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Matsiko, which means hope, is one of the most popular childrens' choirs in Uganda. Established in 2003, the current choir is comprised of 25 orphaned and at-risk children from bush villages, ranging in age from 6-14. Each of the children has been sponsored through the International Children's Network (ICN).

This is Matsiko's second US tour. The performances include traditional Ugandan folk music as well as original songs by the Matsiko Choir Director, Samuel Kiberu Straxy, who has written music for Uganda's National Theatre. Along with James Kaggwa, Straxy is a co-founder of Matsiko. Both men's college educations were funded by the ICN.

Matsiko performances also include exciting African dance and powerful and complex drum routines. President of ICN, Don Windham, notes that the children are taught drumming by Ronnie Kabogozza, who is considered the best instructor in the country. Kabogozza is the Chief Cultural drumming instructor for the Kampala district, which is the capitol city in Uganda.

Not surprisingly, after being sponsored, the children typically begin to test at the highest educational levels for their grade.

The group has performed at the Rose Bowl, Disneyland, Staples Center in Los Angeles, Seattle Symphony Center, and Toyota Field in Chicago. They have also performed for celebrities such as and Clint and Dina Eastwood, and for government officials including Congresspersons and governors.

They are slated to perform in Chicago for Oprah Winfrey and President Obama during Black History month in February, by special invitation of State Senator Eddie Washington.

Upcoming performances are scheduled for California venues in Orange County, Fresno, the Carmel/Santa Cruz/Capitola region and the Bay area through December 20. The group will perform in Oregon from Dec. 21 through January 10, 2010, and in Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland areas through March.

A complete listing is available on www.Matsiko.com

Don Windham, President of ICN, notes that the International Children's Network (ICN) has the highest rating from the industry "watch dog" organization. GuideStar (http://www.guidestar.org) He says, “over 95 percent of every dollar goes to its intended purpose because everyone at ICN is a volunteer.”

He notes that “supporting these children really does break the cycle of poverty as it allows the children to hold their future in their hands and allow them to become independent and helpful to themselves and others instead of dependent and needy for others.”

Unlike other similar organizations, sponsorship does not end at age 14, or 16, but can continue on through the higher education years. In addition, sponsors often have the opportunity to meet their sponsored child.

All 990 ICN financial reports are available to view online at the ICN website at www.icnchildren.net

Authors Website: http://www.OceanViewArts.com

Authors Bio:

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author, educator and OpedNews Managing Editor who has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing since she was a hippie. She began writing for OpEdNews in Feb, 2004. She became a Senior Editor in August 2012 and Managing Editor in January, 2013. In June, 2015, the combined views on her articles, diaries and quick link contributions topped one million. She was particularly happy that her article about Bree Newsome removing the Confederate flag was the one that put her past the million mark.

Her art in a wide variety of media can be seen on her YouTube video, "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE

A NYC native, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006), which is a bestseller in the craft field. The sequel, MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects With Triangles and Squares was released in April, 2011. Her popular video, How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShGOQaJQ8

She has been active in a number of international, arts-related projects as a citizen diplomat, and was arts advisor to Baltimore's CIUSSR (Center for Improving US-Soviet Relations), 1987-89. She made two trips to the former USSR in 1987 and 1988 to speak to artists, craftpeople and fashion designers on the topic of utilizing the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. She created the historical "First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project" in 1987-88, which was the first time a reciprocal quilt was given to the US from the former USSR.

Her artwork is in collections across the globe.

Meryl Ann is a founding member of The Labyrinth Society and has been building labyrinths since 1992. She publishes an annual article about the topic on OpEdNews on World Labyrinth Day, the first Saturday in May.

OpEdNews Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in "Beyond Surviving: How to Thrive in Challenging Times" at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beyond-Surviving--How-to-by-Joan-Brunwasser-Anxiety_Appreciation_Coronavirus_Creativity-200318-988.html

Find out more about Meryl Ann's artistic life in "OEN Managing Ed, Meryl Ann Butler, Featured on the Other Side of the Byline" at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/OEN-Managing-Ed-Meryl-Ann-in-Life_Arts-Artistic_Artists_Quilt-170917-615.html

On Feb 11, 2017, Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in Pink Power: Sister March, Norfolk, VA at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Pink-Power-Sister-March--by-Joan-Brunwasser-Pussy-Hats-170212-681.html

"Creativity and Healing: The Work of Meryl Ann Butler" by Burl Hall is at
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Creativity-and-Healing--T-by-Burl-Hall-130414-18.html

Burl and Merry Hall interviewed Meryl Ann on their BlogTalk radio show, "Envision This," at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/envision-this/2013/04/11/meryl-ann-butler-art-as-a-medicine-for-the-soul

Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html
Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.