Doing it for charity

“It pains me to meet someone on the street and learn that they have gone for days without food just because they do not have the R5 needed to buy a loaf of bread,” said the 31-year-old gospel musician.

Born in Silobela, in Zimbabwe’s Midlands province, Sibanda fell in love with music during his primary school days, but only went professional three years ago, with the release of his first album titled Ongiholayo. It catapulted him to stardom, earning him a number of invitations to concerts, weddings and other ceremonies.

All about giving

“As a young boy attending the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, I was taught that Christianity is all about giving. That is why during my career, I have been involved in a number of charitable causes, However, I have been trying to find a way of leaving a lasting impression on the lives of those who do not have enough to see them through the day.”

Sibanda was involved in the formation of Music Ministry last year, a Johannesburg-based Christian movement that fundraises for the under-privileged in and around South Africa’s biggest city.

The organisation is made up of two other Zimbabwean gospel music groups, Izwi Lesiphelo and Ben Masuku.

“The main drive behind Music Ministry is to spread the word of God, but faith without action is meaningless, so we aim to ensure that in our bid to get as many people to accept Jesus Christ as their lord and saviour, we also make them realise that He loves his underprivileged by donating to them now and then.”

The scope of the initiative is wide.

“Music Ministry provides Christian family outings during which we minister the word of God, foster Christian oneness, encourage social acceptance and administer spiritual healing to the public,” said the musician, who is currently riding high with his second album, Mama, released late last year.

“We are three multi-denominational groups, each with two top selling albums. We are driven by the will to not only entertain communities, but to appreciate that everyone is important and has his or her own place. We invite respected pastors to come and preach the word of God at intervals during our show, where we donate part of the proceeds to selected charitable causes.”

Women’s Day show

The biggest show under the initiative is one that celebrates Women’s Day, an annual holiday in the South African calendar.

“This celebrates the importance of women not only as vulnerable human beings, but also as pillars of both family and society. Part of the proceeds from Women’s Day shows is donated to less-privileged women and children,” added Sibanda.

“Our Women’s Day Show is this year slated for August 10 at the Hillbrow Theatre. We will also invite at least 10 less-privileged women. We sponsor the show from our own coffers because it is more about giving than receiving. Fortunately, the first edition was generously sponsored by international cellular service provider, Econet Wireless and fast-food giant, Nandos, who were both touched by our initiative and aims. Nandos has come on board again this year and we are still negotiating with other potential sponsors.”

The shows are reasonably priced in order to attract a wider audience.

“Compared to other shows held locally and also considering the number of artists that will be performing, our fares are always low and that factor has played a crucial role in making sure that people attend in their large numbers. We will strive to keep our shows at a level where the majority will afford and allow the word of God to remain within reach for many.”

While the initiative is currently restricted to South African audiences, Sibanda and his partners are also working on doing the same in their home country.

“We hope to organise a very big festival back home, which will end with donations to charitable causes there,” added Sibanda. “We have not performed in Zimbabwe so far, but the support we have all received from radio stations and the general public has been amazing.”