Ngoma Yorira

Monika Chanda from SFM interviewed me today during her breakfast show as I had just released my single Ngoma Yorira. I love her interview style and she took me back to my first album as she played the songs Isheanesu and Zuva neZuva before playing my new single. She took me back to a place I had long forgotten where things were not so clear, with so many distractions and complications , so much that music became the only outlet (and thank heavens for that). When I look at myself at the time I wrote those songs, and then look at where I am now mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, I am in awe. I have learnt through experience that life is about the decisions that you make. Sometimes when you make the decisions, people will not understand you, but when you focus on the goal and the purpose and the Creator who approves them, then you will definitely see a positive turn of events. I will not get into the details of where I was, but I can surely testify that where you are now, whether good or bad IS YOUR CHOICE! You got yourself into that situation and you can get yourself out! As a result I celebrate every success and every victory, and appreciate the special moments with friends, family and anyone who makes me smile! Ngoma yorira, my new single is a celebration of who I have become. It is definitely not my usual style, but when the producer Russo gave me the instrumental, it made me feel so liberated and his faith that I could deliver was so humbling! I love and respect people who take me out of my comfort zone and try new things! Literally translated, Ngoma Yorira means the drum plays, and it signifies festivities and celebrations. I am celebrating me and how grateful I am for what God has allowed to happen in my life. Its not perfect, but I honestly wouldn't want it any other way. If happiness can happen to me, surely we are no different! Live your life, enjoy every second and make the decisions for your life that will make you be the best you that you can be. #NGOMAYORIRA If you haven't had a chance to listen to the song, you can download it on Soundcloud...for FREE :) !

Child Labour

Today I had the most humbling experience. I was invited to play at an event and the theme was focussed on child labour. Resultantly, there were some children from Chiredzi who were invited to participate as there is a project being implemented in that area to discourage child labour and encourage education by supporting some of the children financially to go to school. So the children who I was working with were all in Harare for the first time. We rehearsed and performed my song Zuva neZuva which they sang beautifully. One of the beauties of my job is that I get to sit through the whole event, which particularly is a blessing for me because I like information and can never seem to have enough of it. So one of the children gave a touching testimony of how he was taken to South Africa because of peer pressure and worked 8 months at Messina without pay. A well wisher gave him some money to return home, which he did and through this HIVOS project, managed to go back to school. Another had a relative take them as a maid when she was 12 as there was no money to educate a girl. All too familiar right?? All this is obviously a result of poverty. It just got me thinking how we take so much for granted. I then watched these children have fun on the trampoline at the Dutch embassy residence and the joy on their faces was just priceless. Kids just want to have fun but sometimes abject poverty makes some parents resort to using them as cheap labour. Don’t get me wrong, of course I feel that children can help around with daily chores around the house, but the scenarios being talked about today involved proper abuse where the fathers would go out drinking and the children have to go to the fields, herd cattle, or sell something to make sure that the family gets a meal. This then deprives them of the basic human right to education. I also noticed a different attitude with the one child who had been working in Messina. He seemed a bit pompous at times and had a mentality of an adult as he was surely exposed to too much during those 8 months. Probably this will just exacerbate delinquency if not counselled or addressed. We need to allow kids to grow naturally and not deprive them of their childhood. The discussions around child labour today challenged me and I guess for now the best I can do is raise awareness that its real. I know HIVOS is heading a large project on child labour and the Dutch Embassy is also involved this year so I’m sure if you want to be involved somehow you can get in touch. Of noteworthy importance was the presence of Botswana embassy as well and apparently they have had some success in mitigating the issue of child labour. I am not able to get specifics right now as I just stumbled upon this, but hey now you are aware!! Just be grateful for your situation and if you can do anything in your little circle of influence, then please be my guest!