Date of Publication: 1 August 2025
Ottawa raises over CAD$ 9000 for AZBG club of Kamengo, Uganda
By Tom Malaba
Friday 27 June 2025
The incredible sounds of African musical instruments filled the air and brought warmth to a chilly June 27th evening as CAD$9700 was raised for the Agnes Zabali Boys and Girls (AZBG) Club in Kamengo Uganda.
Kamengo Cultural Troupe, Ngoma of Africa and Tine Rufaro Marimba Band put up a dynamic performance and awakened the African celebratory spirit in Ottawa.
Kamengo Cultural Troupe led the way in Orunyege (a courtship dance) from Western Uganda. Energetic young men with shakers tied to their legs rhythmically danced and jogged to produce a unique sound that left the wooden floor of the 355 Cooper Street in Ottawa auditorium vibrating.
Colour of Diversity Marimba Group comprised mainly of young boys and girls under the stewardship of Zvondai Muchenje, played Marimba music.. The teenagers aged 6 to 18 years did their Marimbas justice, hitting them to produce contemporary music. The marimba is a percussion instrument, closely related to a xylophone, that consists of wooden bars that are hit with mallets to produce sound. Zvondai is a recipient of the 2019 Ontario Arts Foundation Artist Educator Award, an award given annually to an Ontario resident who exemplifies himself excellence in arts education
Led by Auntie Catherine Kizito, Ngoma of Africa, a group that has been in existence since 1986, was in place to fly the Ugandan flag high with their Bakisimba dance.
The convener of the evening and founder of AZBG club, Jimmy Sebulime used a music interlude to transport his audience to Kamengo in Uganda to see the club’s activities.
To crown the evening, Kamengo Cultural Troupe took to the floor with their Bakisimba dance, accompanied by the drum and hand shakers. As the day climaxed, many revelers could no longer hold back their celebratory spirit and jumped to the stage to join in the fun of the dance. Since the shakers were a preserve of the few members of the troupe, revelers used anything they could lay their hands on, to tie around their waists and joined the dance.
It was announced during the evening that friends of Joseph Granata popularly known as Muzungu Joe, who was a committee member of the AZBG club committee in Ottawa, have organized a Golf tournament in his memory. Ninety percent of the proceeds will go to the AZBG club and the remaining 10 per cent will go to the Queensway-Carleton hospital.
Agnes Zabali Boys and Girls club is a brain child of Jimmy Sebulime and was started to promote education, give health care and have sports programs.
“Our target was to realise CAD$10,000, We realized CAD$9700; the bulk of this money is going to go towards education of the children through paying of their school fees, health care and sports programs,” said Jimmy Sebulime.
According to him it’s paramount to keep the children in school, especially the girls child by ensuring that they get sanitary care.
Last year in the collaboration with the Canada Africa Health Care Alliance (CACHA), and the Nkozi hospital, Ggoli Health center, the AZBG club organised a medical mission to Kamengo, Uganda, where 3623 patients were treated for various ailments. Among them were 60 minor surgeries, and 500 dental extractions. In addition, 83 prescription glass and 93 reading glasses were distributed.
Over 500 children regularly use the club; of this number, 56 girls and 54 boys have received scholarships and bursaries.
Besides education, some of the teenagers have gone into skilled trades like tailoring, baking, sewing and gardening. The children at the club are also involved in sporting activities like basketball, netball and football.
