FDNC MBALE YOUTH BAND

With the founding of FDNC in 1996, a brass band was formed as a strategy to channel the energy of street children and idle youth into productive activities. At the time, the band had no instruments, yet the members eagerly studied music hoping that instruments would become available soon.

In 1999, their quest was answered when the U.K.-based Camberly Youth Wind Orchestra donated 50+ assorted brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments to begin producing music in earnest. That was the beginning of this dream come true.

The young band members have developed into musicians that are capable of performing for the benefit of the community and raising funds to enable them meet basic social needs.

The FDNC Mbale Youth Band Program currently has five performing groups: Bungokho County Youth Brass Band, Natondome Village Jazz Band, Natondome Village Junior Band, and a Traditional Dance and Drama Troupe.

The FDNC Mbale Youth Brass Band performs at various functions and events including weddings, concerts, parades, civic and community functions, HIV/AIDS awareness events in various parts of Uganda. The band plays a range of music, from marches to anthems and popular African and Western tunes. In addition to playing brass instruments, band members play traditional African instruments and perform traditional African dances from different regions of Uganda.

The FDNC Mbale Youth Band has performed and excelled both locally and internationally. In November 2005, the UK charity - Care and Share Foundation extended an invitation to FDNC for a promotional tour. We performed in various cities including Pontypridd, Chepstow, Bristol, Woodbridge, Frodsham, Reading, and others. (PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURES HERE).
FDNC together with our other partners are organising another important trip to the Schengen countries in the near future. This was a huge success for the program, and we are hoping that this trip we will help the program to secure many other international trips.

OBJECTIVES:
The FDNC brass band is guided by several meaningful objectives:

To build a sense of hope and pride among youth who have grown up among poverty, malnutrition, and other economic hardships To provide guidance, structure, and purpose in the lives of youth who may otherwise be out-of-school and/or unemployed, and at risk of indulging in self-destructive activities. To equip youth with musical skills in brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments, enabling them to provide quality entertainment to the community To provide orphaned and/or vulnerable youth a viable opportunity for income generation to support their families To bridge the gaps between young and old & rich and poor by using music as a means to help people communicate and learn from each other

We thank our various partners in Europe, America and Australia that have continued to donate musical instruments and financial support to this unique initiative.

FDNC is proud to note that our pioneering with Youth Development through the Band and Music programs is continuing to bring various players in the field leading to expansion of the program throughout the Eastern Mbale.
It is FDNC's aim to keep brass bands alive in the Eastern Uganda.
FDNC continues to appeal to friends and well-wishers to support our musical skills program with additional Brass/ Woodwind/ Percussion/ String and Key Board musical instruments so that many more young people gain more life skills for self esteem and improved attitudes towards our national development.
FDNC has added a section of its Vocational Training Center to create a Music Center which will be a tremendous milestone for the Mbale area, exposing many members of the community to an art form they have never seen, improving the general welfare of the community, and building for future generations.

Please also contact us to find out how you can be involved in the development of the Musical Skills program.

Unless we have an engagement, our daily rehearsals take place at the FDNC Vocational Training Center in Natondome Village from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, where you are always welcome to come and listen and support this cause.

Please enjoy the photos below. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.