Sigma Alpha Iota

14 Summer 2023 • sai-national.org SAI Philanries, Inc. Musical Outreach in Uganda The committee of SAI's People- to-People project is happy to share an exciting update about the Mubuku Valley School and the Kasese Local Musical Association (KALOMA) project, located in the Kasese District of Uganda. Created by priest and educator Walter Munna, this association has been working to create a musical environment to enrich the lives of their students and further the reputation of music in their community. e People-to-People project continues to provide support by adding new and different instruments to further their musical goals for their community and students. At the end of the last triennium, the People-to-People project purchased three electric keyboards, three electric guitars, and a professional drum set. is year, the project has purchased three more electric keyboards, three more electric guitars, six keyboard stands, and six guitar stands to expand the collection. With the additional instruments purchased, KALOMA will be able to schedule group classes in addition to their individual piano and guitar lessons. In the future, People-to-People seeks to add a collection of string, brass, and woodwind instruments. Walter Munna is a Ugandan religious priest, philanthropist, educator, pastoral, and social worker. He was born on March 10, 1975 to Mr. and Mrs. Mashamba Leonard in the Kasese District and was raised in Kilembe Mines and Kasese Municipality. "My people are poor, and I am one of them!" says Munna, explaining his decision to seek to improve youth empowerment. Munna wishes to encourage the talented youth both in and out of school to explore music, which is why he founded KALOMA. Munna received a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Makerere University Kampala in 2000, a theological degree from Urban University in Rome in 2004, and a master's degree in theological and religious studies from Makerere University 2006. Aer graduating, Munna returned to Kasese and was ordained as a priest; he began serving as pastor and director of the youth on the Board of Governors of Mubuku Valley Secondary School. Munna shared the following about KALOMA: "We established the music program with the performance of Kasese Local Musica Association, synergistically integrated multicultural music. As the founder of KALOMA, my aim is to reprogram and deprogram the mentality of the community about music being seen as a last resort opportunity for failures. We would like to see musicians or instrumentalists performing and transforming our local communities. We wish to promote the Kasese youth orchestra." is People-to-People project will continue to be a multi-year endeavor that will consist of purchasing instruments to send to the developing school. People- to-People has purchased the instruments through a local music store in the capital city of Kampala, Uganda that is close to the Kasese District. With our Fraternity's work, we are furthering music and supporting local businesses in Uganda. Stay tuned to the SAI Philanthropies, Inc. social media accounts for future updates about this partnership. Has your chapter held a fundraiser for this project? Please share your photos with SAI Philanthropies, Inc.! People-to-People looks forward to a continued partnership with KALOMA and seeing just how much of a musical impact can be made. — Submitted by Susan Christopher, Vice Chairman, Sigma Alpha Iota Philanthropies, Inc., and Director, People-to-People A performance in Uganda where instruments A performance in Uganda where instruments are donated through P2P. are donated through P2P.

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