The Hear Us Children’s Musical was created in 2010 by Music Crossroads as part of the project to enhance music and music education in Malawi through traditional and folk songs, dance and music. This has been possible by joint efforts of the Spanish based NGO Petits Músics del Món and Music Crossroads Malawi. The group is based at Music Crossroads in Area 23, Lilongwe.
The Hear Us Children are the current talk of Town as they perform both local Malawian Traditional dances from all the regions, as well as contemporary dances. They are an amazing group of young boys and girls, extremely talented, and well nurtured and trained by a professional Choreographer employed by Music Crossroads Malawi. They have been invited to perform at big events, before Government ministers, Diplomats, at State House before the President, and several other events organized by NGOs.
Hear Us Children comprises children from various primary schools around Lilongwe and mostly from economically disadvantaged families. The group started out with twenty-five children inn 2010, and grew over the years with more children coming as others left primary school for secondary school. Currently, the group has over 200 members.
Since its establishment, the Hear Us Children have been active and has registered remarkable achievements, such as the annual Spanish musical education exchange program, hosting the Hear Us Youth festival and tour of Brazil.
The group has weekly training and practices. During their training, the children are taught music reading and writing, choral music, folk songs, traditional dances and theatre, drama and stage performance. The children are also equipped with lifeskills and they are active in addressing issues of HIV/Aids, as well as social and educational issues which affect their daily living.
The Hear Us Children meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-5 pm, after school. The members are recruited with their parents’ consent, so that the parents are aware of their children’s whereabouts on these days. This also gives the parents a chance to participate in their children’s’ life, which encourages the child.
Furthermore, Music Crossroads Malawi weaves into the children’s activities traditional concepts which ensure that the Malawi culture is conserved through these children who will pass on the information to their own children in the future.
