BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE – Welcome to Germany!
The Bulembu Choir will tour Germany in May. The tour will kick off on May 3 to 22 this year.
This was confirmed by Akki El Kaakour of the Bulembu Choir. He shared with this publication that the group for the Germany trip was formed in November/December 2023.
Kaakour said: “The idea for the Germany trip came from my work at VM International in Germany. I m really passionate about helping young people, especially through programmes like the Royal Rangers. I’ve been thinking about organising this trip for a while. Moreover, I recognised the potential of the choir tour as a platform to raise awareness for the expansion of the Royal Rangers Programme.”
He went on to say: “By showcasing the talents and dedication of the choir members, we could effectively highlight the positive impact of programmes like Royal Rangers in empowering and mentoring youth. This added dimension to the trip further fuelled my determination to see it come to fruition.”
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’ve 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.
