Snellville Church to Host African Children's Choir Performance

The African Children's Choir will be performing songs and dances at Cannon United Methodist Church in Snellville this weekend. 

The choir, which began in 1984, is composed of 7- to 11-year-olds whose performances raise money for other children back home in several African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Sudan and South Africa. The funds go toward everything such as their schooling, medical care, food and more.

The 16-children group specifically coming to Snellville this Sunday (Aug. 25) is from Uganda and is being led by eight chaperones also from the country. One of those chaperones, Dorothy Nabawani, was actually a part of the choir when she was a 8 years old.   

"I traveled, and I went back home and the choir paid all my medical [bills] and accommodations," the now 27-year-old said. "I went to college, and after college I wanted to come back and give back to the organization by touring."

The choir has been on tour for eight months now and is set to keep performing for another eight months, which is the standard amount of time for a tour. They're currently in South Carolina and are expected to come to Georgia next to do 16 performances around the state. The children do about four performances a week.

"It's fun," Nabwami said. "The children love it."

The group sings a variety of African songs and English Christian songs, and they also perform African dances, too. And while they may be just kids, many of those who seem them are repeat attendees. 

"Some people even cry," said the chaperone about the audiences. "Some can't stop clapping and smiling, and there's lots of excitement." 

Between performances, the children still learn, too. The chaperones give homeschooling on the bus, and they have plenty of time to sightsee and enjoy the places they visit. So far, many of the kids have enjoyed New York, where they were able to visit the Statue of Liberty; Washington; Columbus, Ohio; and Miami, which they loved because of the beach. In addition to Atlanta, the children also are headed to Orlanda, Fla.

The African Children's Choir will perform at Cannon United Methodist Church, located at 2424 Webb Gin House Rd. in Snellville, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25. The concert is free, but an offering will be collected for the cause. For more information on the choir, visit africanchildrenschoir.com.

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