The Ndlovu Youth Choir from Elandsdoorn, South Africa, will return to the Africa Festival in Würzburg on May 30, 2024, after a successful performance four years ago and receiving the Newcomer Prize of the “Africa Festival Award”. The festival honors talented musicians every year.
The story of this extraordinary choir began in 2009 in the South African township of Elandsdoorn, where it was established as part of the Ndlovu Child Care & Youth Development Program within the Ndlovu Care Group. Under the direction of the dedicated music teacher Ralf Schmitt, the choir has developed an enormous impact on the children and young people from the region.
These children and young people come from disadvantaged and broken families. The burden on their shoulders stems primarily from the poverty in which they have grown up. Domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse and crime are unfortunately very common issues that these children have had to deal with from an early age. As a result, many suffer from post-traumatic stress and need ongoing support.
Despite these challenges, the children have shown remarkable enthusiasm and talent. This led to the choir being discovered by “America’s Got Talent” in 2018 and invited to Los Angeles. After their success in the final, they were celebrated like pop stars and received worldwide bookings for concerts and corporate events.
The Ndlovu Care Group then founded a company in which the permanent core ensemble of 12 to 15 children and young people can earn a fixed monthly income. This step meant a commercial transformation of the project, while maintaining the social commitment to the 38 other children in the program. Of these, many are still in school and 11 children are even currently studying for their A-levels. New township children are trained each year to perform in the choir. The choir singers change regularly so that everyone gets a chance. The younger children only perform during the school vacations or at weekends so as not to neglect school. A social worker is also on hand to provide support.
The Hugo Tempelman Foundation successfully supported the choir from the very beginning. The help included the provision of instruments, studio equipment, acquisition, organization and financing of concerts in Germany, which contributed to the success of the program.
And we will continue to do so, because we are convinced that music paired with the great social commitment of people who give children support, structure and joie de vivre deserve our full attention and support.
