Bosco Segawa was living on the streets of Kampala, Uganda, when he heard a local school’s brass band playing 20 years ago. He was 12. Segawa was captivated and began to see music as a possible way out of street life. After much convincing, the school agreed to teach Segawa and his friends how to play donated instruments on weekends and holidays. Soon, the boys were able to support themselves and even found a sponsor who paid for their housing, which they opened up to other street children like themselves. Since then, their organization, called M-Lisada (short for Music Life Skills and Destitution Alleviation), has grown to accommodate scores of young people who would otherwise be homeless and vulnerable on the streets of Kampala. And it has support from people far beyond Uganda, including Rochelle Zabarkes, president of the New York-based M-Lisada Africa Foundation.
Child homelessness is a major issue in Uganda. Nonprofit Human Rights Watch reports that children who live on the street are often also victims of police brutality, emotional and sexual abuse, drug use, and addiction. M-Lisada emphasizes the power of both music and friendship, recognizing that getting children off the streets is just the first step in the longer process of rehabilitation. Many children are psychologically traumatized by their past experiences, but M-Lisada provides a supportive place where they can start over.
M-Lisada offers a plethora of programs for the approximately 50 children it houses at a time, as well as for the additional 80 children to whom it provides services and basic comforts, but cannot yet house. Music is the main focus, but dance, acrobatics, sports, and further education in life skills, instrument repair, HIV awareness, and sustainable farming are also available.
Longtime M-Lisada volunteer Gesa Teigelkötter, who is based in Kampala, says that music and the arts "play a very important role in the children's lives, because first, they don't get bored so quickly...they are also able to forget their traumatic experiences from the past, and most important, gain a lot of self confidence." Referring to the artistic and athletic choices offered to the children, Teigelkötter says: "I can also see that they really enjoy what they are doing, because they can choose what they like."
The children are also eager to give back to the community that helped them. They perform free concerts and raise funds for worthy causes, such as buying a wheelchair for a disabled peer, and even clean the streets in the surrounding area. They visit the elderly and perform outreach to children who are still on the streets, returning to where they used to live to convince others to turn to M-Lisada for help.
As for Segawa himself, he is still there, continuing in his mission to bring music and a better life to Kampala’s homeless youth. Helping him achieve that ambitious goal is Zabarkes.
Ahead, Zabarkes shares her thoughts on music and empowerment and gives Refinery29 a look inside the inspiring program.
How did you become involved with M-Lisada?
"In 2010, I closed my spice shop and decided to go to grad school, where I got a degree in international affairs. One of the courses was a 10-week internship. I was introduced to M-Lisada by a colleague and have been there ever since."
How did music and the arts become the focus of M-Lisada's programs?
"Bosco Segawa saw music as a way out for himself and his friends, who were all street children. He felt valued when he played music. We know the importance of music. Our tag line is 'Music to the Rescue.'"
As police brutality towards these children is commonplace in Uganda and many of these children have faced abuse and trauma in their lives on the street and even at home, how does M-Lisada approach the wary children it seeks to help?
"We play our music on the streets and children are not afraid to approach us. We have a peer-to-peer mentoring program — our children talk to a traumatized street child and put him or her at ease. And our social workers talk to the kids. They come to M-Lisada when they're ready. We have food, clothing, protection, support, athletics, and music — all big draws to these children."
How does M-Lisada help the children with the psychological implications of their past traumas and treatment at the hands of adults or older street children?
"Generally, all of these kids have been hurt in some way. We have counselors who deal with them [and] address their specific issues. The kids help each other."
In your experience, how does bringing the arts into the lives of these children affect them in the short- and long-term?
"It gives them confidence in themselves, it teaches them discipline, and how to work in a group. They get a small payment for their performances and they all have savings accounts. It makes them happy, which, in turn, makes them more productive in school. Long-term, they know how to read music, play music, teach music, and repair musical instruments, which are all useful skills to get a job when they leave M-Lisada."
Where do graduates of the program typically go and what do they do for work?
"Some go home, some work in vocational fields if they've been trained while they were with us, and some take menial jobs, like waiters. Some open little entrepreneurial ventures."
How did the idea for an M-Lisada sustainable farm come about and how does the organization see that program expanding?
"We have plans for a farm and a school in Bombo [in Uganda]. Chris Weigers, one of our oldest supporters, donated eight acres of land to M-Lisada. Another supporter, Yves Baes, from Belgium, has helped to get this project going. Go Philanthropic has supported the idea of sustainable farming as a way to reduce our costs. Help and ideas come from many supporters."
What is the most rewarding part of the work that you do?
"I'm a fixer. I love it when we have a challenging issue and it gets dealt with satisfactorily. I work on small and large issues. Every day is interesting and anything but routine."
What is the most challenging part of the work that you do?
"Things don't happen in Uganda like they do in New York. Everything takes twice as long and materials may not be available. Everything starts late. Communication is not always in evidence. Staff may need training before they are up to the task. It might require extensive negotiating to get something done. But finally — finally — we are on the right track."
Has there been a specific defining moment when you knew you wanted to devote yourself to this work?
"After I finished the internship, during which I taught photography, I saw that there was a need for my production skills. I saw that I could design the work I would do and the time I would spend doing it. Bosco and others were so appreciative and clearly loved me. How could I not do this work for these amazing people?"
What do you want our readers to know about Uganda and the plight of street children there?
"I want readers to know the same things that I want our children to know: If you have been abandoned, abused, or hurt in awful ways, that does not define you. You are bigger, better, and smarter than anyone in your past could possibly have imagined. The world is a tough place, but you can achieve great things.
"Our children can be successful. It is hard to believe that these kids come from the very bottom of the barrel, and in some cases, go on to be college graduates and loving, useful citizens."
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Janine Di Giovanni – Portrait Of A War Reporter
An Earth Scientist Explains The Aurora Aka The Northern Lights
Powerful Photos Show Fukushima In The 5 Years Since The Disaster