BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE – Two weeks to go!
The Bulembu Choir is ready and excited about their tour to Germany, which starts from May 3 to 22 this year.
Yesterday, the Bulembu Ministries posted on its Facebook page that they were all set to tour Germany.The choir has been hard at work, practising and perfecting its performance. The congregation at the Bulembu Community Church had the honour of praying for and sending them off as ambassadors of Eswatini.
The choir also treated everyone to an incredible performance that left hearts full and spirits lifted! This was confirmed by Akki El Kaakour of the Bulembu Choir. He shared with this publication that the group was practicing a lot in preparation for their upcoming tour.
In a previous interview, Kaakour revealed that the choir going to Germany was formed in November or December 2023.The idea for the Germany trip came from his work at VM International in Germany. He is really passionate about helping young people, especially through programmes like the Royal Rangers. He recognised the potential of the choir tour as a platform to raise awareness for the expansion of the Royal Rangers Programme.
Bulembu Choir has been in existence since 2012, although the composition of each choir trip varies. This is not the first international trip for the Bulembu Choir. Over the past years, they have embarked on several international tours.
The choir has toured Canada in 2013, the United Kingdom (UK) in 2019, and the United States of America (USA) in 2020 and 2022. Last year, they toured the UK and Northern Ireland.
The choir is led by Simphiwe Mnisi, with support from Babe Shabalala. Membership in the choir is open to those who are part of the Bulembu family and fit the vocal profile.
The current group consists of 11 members, including the choir director. The largest group was in 2013, with 23 members. However, due to travel costs and other logistics, the number of members is kept manageable.
The choir typically performs traditional African gospel songs, but this year, they have expanded their repertoire to include some contemporary pieces. All members of the choir grew up at Bulembu Ministries Eswatini, a Christian-based organisation and residential care facility located in the town of Bulembu.
It focuses on providing holistic care and support to orphaned and vulnerable children. The ministry offers housing, education, healthcare, and various forms of support to children who have been orphaned or are in vulnerable situations due to factors such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, or other social challenges.
