Two new projects in Cape Town, South Africa

Vulamasango means “open gates” in the Xhosa language. Since 2009, Vulamasango, a non-profit organization based in Cape Town, has opened its doors to children from the townships of Cape Town and offers them an after-school care centre with homework supervision, sports, music, theater, food and much more. The central aim of Vulamasango and its European sponsoring association Positiv Leben e.V. is to offer these children from socially difficult backgrounds safety from the dangers of the townships and to provide education, sport, art and enlightenment. Vulamasango is 5 hectares of land in the middle of the vast Cape Flats and surrounded by the endless townships of Cape Town.

Moving Child supports Vulamasango in the construction of the soccer pitch on the land – an extremely important meeting point for the children and young people. We are also helping financially to build a protected garden where the children can learn to plant and tend plants, among other things.

An important sub-project at Vulamasango is Vulingoma: the children’s and youth choir. A large part of the work with the choir consists of working through the many traumatic experiences of the children, who often come from homes destroyed by alcohol, unemployment, HIV and poverty. The music therapy work also helps them to develop the emotional strength they need for their future lives.

Since 2007, the Vulingoma Choir has been touring Europe for several weeks every two years. Many people are deeply moved by the performances and Vulingoma has become the most important fundraising event for Vulamasango. Almost every day, the children and young people in the after-school club sing together in preparation for the Vulingoma tour and for events within Vulamasango. A completely new choir is trained every two years, giving new children aged between 12 and 18 the chance to experience this very different world in Europe for once in their lives. They are cheered and admired and can show off their incredible talents for the first time.

Thanks to the support of Moving Child, a tour will be able to take place again in 2025!