WS Chronicle

The Watoto Children’s Choir will perform in Winston-Salem as part of its tour of the eastern United States.

The local show will be on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at Shady Grove United Methodist Church, 167 Shady Grove Church Rd. The choir will also perform on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at High Point’s Temple Memorial Baptist Church and on Friday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church in Greensboro.

All performances are free and open to the public.

The Watoto Children’s Choir acts as Watoto ambassadors to raise awareness about the plight of the orphaned and vulnerable children of Africa. The Choir is not just about performing, Watoto is a holistic child-care solution initiated to serve the dire needs of Africa and her people.

Each of the children in the choir has suffered the loss of one or both parents. They live in Watoto Children’s Villages where they receive the care and nurturing they need to grow up as productive citizens of their own country.

“Through the choir’s Concert of Hope, we share a message of transformation by telling the story of Africa’s rescued orphans and women. We hope to reach out to audiences with the message of Christ’s healing power,” says Gary Skinner, founder of Watoto.

With its genuine appeal, accompanied by music and dance – an energetic fusion of contemporary gospel and traditional African rhythm – the globally acclaimed group has traveled internationally since 1994 as ambassadors for the millions of children in Africa, orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, war and poverty.

Since its inception, 56 choirs have traveled globally, providing the children with a bigger worldview, an unusual opportunity they would otherwise never get.