Lights, Camera, Action: All Eyes on our Music, Dance, and Drama Program!
Music students preparing to play their Adungus (the bowed strong instruments)
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of walking through a school’s campus and finding yourself in the arts department. In a U.S. school, you might hear a flute or clarinet, maybe a few guitarists practicing for the talent show, or the marching band getting ready for the big game. Maybe you see the drama students rehearsing for the spring musical, or the dance team practicing for regionals.
At Global Leaders Primary School in Northern Uganda, you would find almost the same scene; instead of a guitar you might find an Adungu (a bowed harp-like instrument); instead of a marching band practice you might hear rehearsals for a performance about the importance of education; but our music, dance, and drama (MDD) program is thriving thanks to the support of our incredible community!
Students with access to arts education see a number of benefits in the classroom; students who participate in at least one arts class, for example, are four times more likely to receive an academic award. Arts education has also been linked to higher attendance rates and an increased likelihood to graduate. Not only that, but MDD programs in Uganda are specifically geared towards preserving Ugandan culture and tradition, ensuring that the next generation has a strong link to their history.
Drama students performing an original play on malaria awareness and treatment
Recently, the Global Leaders MDD students were invited to compete at the District schools competition. They competed against four other major primary schools in the area – and came in first place! Because of this, they were invited to compete at regionals, and came in sixth overall! Their performances included poems about the importance of staying in school, drama performances intended to increase awareness about malaria outbreaks, and other performances centered around dance, storytelling, and folktales.
Students in rural communities often lack access to these essential arts programs, mostly due to a lack of funding, or a lack of priority placed on the arts. We’re proud to offer a robust arts program alongside our community in Uganda and here in the U.S.
Our Music, Dance and Drama program is primarily funded by our Advocates and Market Day Fund Donors! Our Advocates’ monthly donations help fund Teacher Dixson’s salary; as our lead MDD teacher, he helps students find their talent and potential, and will likely lead many of them to their life-long passion – like all the best arts teachers do. Our Market Day Fund donors helped us purchase instruments, arts supplies, costumes, and all the other odds and ends it takes to create a myriad of incredible performances.
Thank you Advocates, MDF Donors, and our entire community for making the arts a priority for students in Northern Uganda!
