While evaluating the Utamaduni African Camp where I gave a workshop last summer (see blog about that here), I got a message from Christian. He was my contact during the camp. He mentioned that I could apply for a one-off grant through Utamaduni’s fund: the ‘U-Kassen’. I had already spoken to Christian and others during the camp about Yiri Kan. Christian thought I could possibly draw up a grant application for Yiri Kan for a donation by Utamaduni U-Kassen of up to 7000 Danish Kroner. That’s almost €1000.

That sounded wonderful! I had also received the necessary donations for Yiri Kan in the previous months in the Netherlands. I asked Youssouf to make a plan with a budget for the most important things he wanted to get started.

For the start of the Association’s Educational yard, a canopy or ‘hangar’, as Youssouf called it, was very important. There, the lessons offered for children could also take place in the shade and out of the rain. In addition, a gateway with an information board is a necessity for any association in Burkina Faso. This makes it clear to everyone what is based at that location. So a plan was drawn up for those two components. This was for about € 1800, which would mean that a maximum donation by Utamaduni plus the money I had raised myself in the meantime would be exactly enough to carry out these two parts.

I had to submit that application by 1 September and a decision would be made in early October. So waiting in mild suspense for the decision from Denmark…..

In early October, I received notification that 2000 Danish Kroner had been granted; the maximum amount!!! Youssouf immediately organised a meeting with the board of Yiri kan in Bobo, and started preparations to carry out the work. These may start soon when he returns from his trip to Belgium and the Netherlands in November.

An apt song from the Utamaduni Camp

During the camp last July in Denmark, I learnt some songs from the Sukuma country in Tanzania. Singing these songs together was wonderful. They were sung by Tanzanian singers or members of the Utamaduni Dance Troupe who have been to Tanzania several times. The songs have a kind of question and answer game.

The lyrics were hung on large sheets of paper for easy singing along.

The song here has the apt lyrics:

“When the drums sound
Nothing can stop me from coming
Only when I get sick
And my body is weak …..”

Ulukalila Kang’Oma

 

As sung during Utamaduni Camp ’23