Umqombothi was the song we woke up to when we were little and finding our voices. It was the brand anthem for African children and adults. Umqombothi was a majestic, fierce yet soothing song, that assures us that Africa was indeed a beautiful world and we were proud of this world of ours. We wore the notes and lyrics of the song as robes to keep our minds in tune, and we would nod at other kids who knew the song.
This gift of solidarity in a song came through Yvonne Chaka Chaka. And today seemed like a good day to talk about how she’s inspired our little hearts.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka is an internationally recognized and highly respected South African singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and teacher. Dubbed the “Princess of Africa” (a name she received after a 1990 tour), Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 27 years and has been popular in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. Songs like “I’m Burning Up”, “Thank You Mister DJ”, “I Cry for Freedom”, “Makoti”, “Motherland” and the ever-popular “Umqombothi” (“African Beer”) ensured Yvonne’s stardom. The song “Umqombothi” was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.
Today, Yvonne is a champion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the United Nations MDG Envoy for Africa, and the Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. She was chosen by Nelson Mandela as the first ambassador for his children’s fund and has also established her own charity, the Princess of Africa Foundation, using the name first given to her in Uganda. The Princess of Africa Foundation is a partner of the ACTION global health advocacy partnership. In 2012, she was the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award.
She teaches literacy part-time at the University of South Africa, sits on several boards of charitable organizations and NGOs, and serves on the board of the Johannesburg Tourism Company.
Extra Information and Resource from Wikipedia
