22/11/2015
While in South Sudan, You can Visit Aggrey Jaden Cultural Centre: Giving
back to the community through art and
music
AGGREY JADEN CULTURAL CENTRE
Aggrey Jaden, was
an administrator and a politician in the old Sudan, he
was born in 1924 and died in 1985, after his death his
son founded the Aggrey Jaden Cultural Centre with the
aim and vision of changing people’s and giving back to
the community through art and music.
The Aggrey Jaden Cultural Centre for Art and Music is
a community based non-profit cultural organization
located in Hai Amarat. The centre has activities such
as after school classes for children, where children
age 5 years to 13 are taught art and craft, drawing
and molding, formal education, music and tree planting
to keep the neighborhood green and clean.
These children include orphans and street children and
old people too. Speaking to Business Focus’s Urban
Hype Magazine, Kenyi Lado from the Jaden Centre
said that they have different activities in the centre.
He said they thought of the after school program so
as to keep children out trouble or doing bad things
after the come back from school or when they are on
holidays. In music they have piano and African drum
beating lessons for boys and girls which keep them
busy till they go home in the evening.
“There is also a development and mentor program for
artist and upcoming artist to write, practice and
correct it amongst themselves before they go for
officiating recording, some of these big names that
have been to the centre andcurrently enjoying its fruits
are the likes of singer Mer, Asif, Rasta Baraka & 6
Foot,” he said.
Rasta Baraka is an artist and a member at the centre,
his work is to teach the young children drumming,
keyboard, vocals and to make sure the sound system
and everything goes well.
He said since he came to south Sudan from the
diaspora and works with the centre. Everything has
been running smooth from holding funding raising
events to tree planting and urban agriculture to arts
display, holding fund raising for community and
inspiring the youth to discover their talent. Although
there are difficulties and setbacks.
Kenyi Lado stressed his concern over lack of funds
and money to run their daily activities, he said that
after the 2013 crisis they do not have enough
materials such as bead, hooks, paints (special kinds of
imported paints) to make the crafts since they import
them.
Before that! He says, they used to get their money to
run the daily activities of the center through music
performance, charity events that they are invited to
perform and from well-wishers as well but since they
lack these materials their activities are hindered. Lack
of fuel to run the generator is also another problem.
There is live band and music performance, children
coloring on Saturday (Saturday Jam) and Sundays and
everyone is welcome.
via Business Focus Newspaper
