WS Chronicle

In above photo:  (L-R) are volunteer Joan Falls, S2S founder Purity Ruchugo, concert organizer Alfred Clements and volunteer Beverly Beaty. (Photo by Nikki Baldwin for The Chronicle)

By Nikki Baldwin

For the Chronicle

The first Summer Praise benefit concert will be at the First Presbyterian Church Worship Center from 2 to 5 p.m. at 200 N. Cherry St. on Saturday, July 25, to support the Sister2Sister (S2S) International Outreach Ministry Inc.

Admission to the concert is free and will consist of collections for love offerings.

The proceeds from the concert will go toward the construction of the S2S children’s home and school in Ngong, Kenya.

The S2S board members in Kenya and Purity Ruchugo will be over the construction of the home and school in Kenya.

The concert will consist of dance troupes, mime troupes, spoken word and singers such as Alfred Clemonts.

The treasurer of S2S, Martha Alberton, and the board members of S2S will manage the proceeds raised from the concert.

The concert idea was formed when Alfred Clements walked into Umoja store, which is owned by Purity Ruchugo, founder of S2S. Ruchugo, who had just attended Clements’ spring concert, was hoping to use his singing talent to help raise money for the children in Kenya.

The chance encounter led to Clements agreeing to the idea upon hearing it. Clements, who is an educator, said his motivation for wanting to participate in this concert was sparked by his passion for ministry, as well as the passion to start his own visions and to be apart of “this great cause.”

Clements believes in uplifting and inspiring others with the gift he has been blessed with. Purity Ruchugo, who was born and raised in Kenya, started the Sister2Sister International Outreach Ministry Inc.

Ruchugo, when asked why she started S2S, said she wanted to be a voice to the voiceless and raise awareness of the needs of women and children. “HIV/AIDS robbed Africa with over a generation of young men and women.

This left many children without parents.

There are no programs to help empower women and children, so through ministry we are changing lives by educating orphans and providing feeding programs,” Ruchugo said.

Ruchugo, who was raised by her widowed mother after her father died when she was 4 years old, said she wanted to reach out and help those in need.

Ruchugo believes if you help a women, then you can help the community, including the children as well.

The S2S headquarters is in Winston-Salem in the Umoja store, for it is a part of the ministry. S2S is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

For more information about the benefit concert, contact Alfred Clements at 336-624-5577.

For additional information about Sister2Sister International Outreach Ministry, contact Purity Ruchugo at 336-655-0347 or email www.sistersinternationalwomen.org.