Ugandan center brings healing through dance
Posted by Tony Gilmore
In front of a black curtain draped over a clothesline, several children dance in a dirt clearing that constitutes their front yard.
The Bitone Center for Disadvantaged Children , located in Kampala, Uganda, is home to two dozen children ages 8-18. Many are orphans; others have lost their homes or been estranged from their families by disease, war, or economic hardship. The Rotary clubs of Kampala-East and Traverse Bay Sunrise, Michigan, USA, are providing support to the facility with help from a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant.
Bitone means "talents" in Luganda. The center was founded in 2004 by Lawrence "Branco" Sekalegga, who serves as its executive director and teaches the children traditional Ugandan dance, music, and theater. By connecting the children with their heritage and providing basic food, shelter, and education, the center strives to give them new hope and build their self-esteem.
Bitone means "talents" in Luganda. The center was founded in 2004 by Lawrence "Branco" Sekalegga, who serves as its executive director and teaches the children traditional Ugandan dance, music, and theater. By connecting the children with their heritage and providing basic food, shelter, and education, the center strives to give them new hope and build their self-esteem.