THE MARO 2017 WRAP UP

2017 has been a great year, one of the big reasons is we made it through. Each 12 months take and give as the order of the day. Sorry for the good souls we lost and may God rest them all in eternal peace.

 We started out with the release of the ''Atwooki Album'' 6th February on line, we have the 17 tracks' up on over 30 on line stores including Spotify and iTunes for my fans. The album took a full year 2016 in production and lets call it re-production because we had lost our complete album and data a day before 2015 ended. With the help of various artistes who accepted to feature on it, we( Zuli tums and Maro) managed to re-produce it and with some of the songs like Natereza, Freestyle, Addicted

out already, we were ready to monetise through Tune core Dec 2016. http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1208273927?ls=1&app=itunes

The #BuyforKaramoja campaign March 29th: This was our second project that got joined by various celebrities like Douglas lwanga, Judith heard, Dazzle jam photography, Abryanzcollections, American actor Morocco Omari and many well wishers mainly from the charity organisation VIVACONAGUA for the cause of clean water and sanitation. This was a merchandise sell that was coupled with two yard sales, a trip to Karamoja and a show(12 August 2017)  to fundraiser for clean WATER access in the area and the Nabiratuk primary school in particular.
http://celebbyte.com/photos-singer-ronald-maro-concludes-karamoja-charity-show/
MORE ABOUT THE WHOLE KARAMOJA PROJECT:
https://marouganda.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=uxEqrmABAAA.yzb0BPYvTD4BsUtRoARA4pslHwbiFSWMCT-zIAPu6yZwoCOFfFDTsvRWBdyxOxostuv3F3esF-MDRXKURXO7sg.i39mMz_GfW-bvq4WYqH5eA&postId=1670044924694010543&type=POST 

USA -GERMAN Tour: 26th-30th May was the ''Twegaite international convention(USA)washington'' and i was invited to both attend and perform for the congregation in Maryland at Gaylord hotel and harbour. This was an amazing initiative that is running for years now and with a goal of developing the area of Busoga where of course, i come from and represent. Each year this get-together coupled with fundraisers, seminars, dinners and boat Cruise parties to wrap the fun, happens in different cities in diaspora depending on a annual voting practise by the executive panel. During the final dinner and gala, I won the prize of recognition for the work i have done of putting Busoga on the map presented by the right Hon speaker of the parliament of Uganda, the promient Rebecca Kadaga. Great moments i shared, i am happy to share with you my happiness!

After the 5 days of both learning and interacting with the Twegaite visionaries and well wishers, i had more time to get to visit Mr Shane palko in dalaware with whom we visited The North bay he volunteers at with children mainly from the famous ghetto of Baltimore every holiday to teach them other ways of life that are not in schools' curriculum . The kids are over 400 in number 5-18 years old brought by parents to interact with each other to forget the situation in the ''humble'' Baltimore. They are split into groups of about 15-20 and each gets a care taker and teacher. Through the woods they play and in the river they fish, cruise and learn about the nature in a well designed organised atmosphere with a theatre, museum , swings, hostels i mean, every thing a kid needs at that age. This experience got me thinking of creating the same for out youths now that we have the biggest youth population and most are into the old men's world having kids at their tender age.   Well, we performed RISINGSTAR [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx6vO1QFRu0 ] along with Mr Shane on the guitar at an entertainment evening they call ''The North bay live'' and the kids were singing along which became the talk the next day making more friends as usual.

Dalware is a small place  full of happy people, farmers mainly and i felt at home. Shane showed me a great time we even recorded a Live version of RISINGSTAR later with the other friends in the music circle and i still say it is one of the happiest days of my life. A dream came true.

JUNE 2017 i continued to New york to meet a friend i had made through the #BuyForKaramoja campaign scriptwriter, Director and Actor Mr Morocco Omari from the famous ''The Empire'' fox series playing ''Taric''. With all the flying back and forth i slept the whole day after being welcomed by the man himself. I enjoyed the ride through Brooklyn the next days, the famous Brooklyn bridge, oho... the food, Jamaican juice in Harlem, the music, the Apollo with Taylor Iman, the people and the friends i made. the mission was to shoot the KANYAMA video off the atwooki album mentioned earlier so we got on it with the help of Mr Shabazz Ray on the camera and Juss Ruby as the vixen, we had this shot in a day trying to narrate how a NYC date would be. This will be out 2018.

NYC was a short but memorable time as i was supposed to head to BOSTON for a show together with Irene Ntale on the 10th and of course i was just visiting so i was ready for my AUGUST karamoja show and on all these tours i collected some dollars from those who managed to get us something to see that the karamoja initiative was a success.

THE JULY GERMAN TOUR http://eagle.co.ug/2017/06/29/singer-maro-flies-uganda-flag-high-germany.html

VIVACONAGUA organizes an annual art festival where artists, painters, writers, poets, Photographers and musicians from all over the world come to show case their work for the cause of creating awareness and donating to water supply in the affected areas. At the MILLERNTOR GALLARY AND FESTIVAL, art Works are auctioned and the proceeds go to water as the slogan goes, “Art creates water” “All for water, water for all”. Maro is one of the African artistes who presented (twice on the media opening and first day of the festival) among the many from Europe mainly. The festival happens at the St. Pauli stadium in Hamburg, Germany and his 45 minutes performance was amazing and entertaining with his different afro and none monotonous sound that got people dancing and posting about him all over social media shining back at home for representing the nation.



THE NZIRANAGO CONCERT SEPTEMBER 23RD 2017 DAM WATERS JINJA:
Press:http://celebbyte.com/singer-maro-takes-part-in-nziranago-concert-football-matches/
Busoga district comprises of 10 districts and several villages with Jinja Kamuli Iganga being the most mentioned. The Nziranago concept was a bigger one and we needed a hand that sponsors like Africell, Labonita herbal soap gave us for we had to tour all the 10 districts playing football with the locals as a way of creating awareness and promoting the Maro brand more as a social person. We played food ball with the local teams and our team was a collection of all team maro bloggers, producer zuli tums, friends of Maro and MARO. Lol This was Fun. we had  three matches each weekend and travelled to a new village each weekend. Most of these villages we had heard about but no idea how to get there so, we relied on the help of the local council and some friends who lived near or know some one who knew some one there. That was the nice thing, getting to know the region and connect with the people not as a celebrity but as their son.
NZIRANAGO FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qJRKHrP4A8
ACTIVATIONS AND FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfoW-AkZaDw

The end result we the one day concert event that had friends like PROFF KENYA, NAIBOI, FRASHA all from Kenya, JOANITA ZACKARIASSEN (Dk), SHANE PALKO (USA), and a fleet of the Ugandan music fraternity from central and eastern Uganda to grace the occasion.
we have released more music.
An historical event. http://bigeye.ug/maro-jets-international-artistes-nzira-nago-concert/
MORE CONCERT PHOTOS
http://ugblizz.com/photos-maro-shuts-jinja-nzira-nago-concert/
MORE NEWS
http://celebbyte.com/movie-star-morocco-omari-supports-maros-concert/

The Nile beat crew performing Nziranago at Maro's concert

This particular concert taught me much about friendship and the oneness my friends from the Maro die-hards group have. this was a lot of work and with them we managed to pull it off. many artistes have the fans' clubs and teams that do not even get involved in the actual dirty work but this my group does. We ate the same food, we faced the same struggles laughed and were sad together through out the whole moth of activations and the concert. all the credit in getting everything done goes to the Maro die hards' group. I am really glad i got them close and can do such good things together both business and fun.
New songs have come out, FIGHTER and NIGHE and have recorded a lot more as the year ended and as i write we are planning to shoot here in Berlin, Germany on the second day of 2018.

Happy new year to you all. Lets keep following and please subscribe to the official Maro YouTube for all New releases. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP_E041ib0Y9BzJt_3iT7iw

Maro makes entry at the Nziranago concert

 

MARO MERCHANDISE SELL FOR NABILATUK TOWNSHIP PRIMARY SCHOOL

NABILATUK TOWNSHIP PRIMARY SCHOOL

Nabilatuk Town Ship Primary School is one of the oldest Primary Schools in Karamoja Region. The school is located in Nakapiripirit District, Pian County, Nabilatuk Sub County, Moruaingibuin Parish, Nablatuk Trading center. The school was founded by the Anglican Church in 1953 and later taken over by the government:

School Mission “Quality and Basic Education for all”
School Vision “Education Is the Key for all”
School Motto “Discipline and handwork pays”
 
The current education status in Karamoja region:
Most children do not go to school; instead, Karamojong children live the pastoralist life. The boys are kept at home to look after livestock and girls remain to look after the young children, cultivate in the gardens or are simply married off when their bodies begin to show signs of maturity like developing breasts. However, traditions are changing across the plains and escarpments, long seen as Uganda’s wildlands. With that change comes a cultural struggle over the role of education. The Karamoja region is one of the poorest and least developed regions in Uganda, and suffers from high illiteracy rates. Investment in education will help to change that, and Welthungerhilfe will work very closely with the local governments and leaders and people of Karamoja in their efforts to develop their region through support to education and infrastructural development i.e. teacher’s housing, dormitories, classrooms and sanitation facilities. Support also includes the provision of furniture and teaching materials. Environmental conservation measures such as rainwater harvesting and tree planting will enhance the realization of the goal of increasing access to primary education in Karamoja through increased enrollment and also provision of quality education.
TOILETS AND WASHROOMS

The government standard for pupils per latrine stance ratio is: 40:1 however the school only has 8
stances of latrines functional which leave the school with a deficit of about 12 stances. The other two
stances of latrines available in the school have either collapsed or gotten full.
The school does not have washrooms for boys and girls. The children wait until its dark in order to
take a bath. Lack of washrooms inconveniences the girls and affects their Menstrual Hygiene
Management (MHM) as they need a private and clean place with water they can use to clean
themselves during the day when undergoing menstruation. A 10 stance Latrine costs approximately
38,000,000/= and a WASH room costs approximately 15,000,000/=.
 
BORDING FACILITIES:
The school also has a boarding section for both boys and girls (P1 to P7 totaling 110, 70 boys and 30
girls). Out of the 10 available classrooms, the school had to transform 3 classrooms and a store into
dormitories for children. When Welthungerhilfe Project manager (Emeru Samuel) visited the school
on 20th February 2017, he found the dormitories over crowded. The young children and older ones
are all mixed up together. The children sleep on the floor, the beddings are not spaced which
enhances the spread of diseases and bed bugs infestation. Welthungerhilfe is in the process of securing funding for two dormitory blocks.

LERNING FACILITIES
The fair performance of the school in the district has attracted a large number of pupils from within and neighboring sub counties. The current structures available at the school cannot contain the growing number of pupils with the most affected being children in the lower classes from P1 to P4. According to the government policy, a classroom is supposed to accommodate only 45 pupils but in this case 195 children are congested in one classroom. Congestion leads to ineffective learning as the teacher cannot easily monitor, mentor and supervise the children. It also leads to easy spread of airborne diseases such as flue therefore leading to frequent absenteeism of children from school.
Welthungerhilfe is in the process of securing funding for construction of two classroom blocks.

THE MARO CHARITY MERCHANDISE SALE FOR THE NABIRATUK TOWNSHIP PRIMARY SCHOOL SANITATION FACILITIES: #BUYFORKARAMOJA CAMPAIGN:
Ronald Magada alias Maro is a well-known award winning RnB musician in the local music scene, who started his career in 2010 and for 7 years he has worked hard to be the brand he is now. He loves charity and this is not the first time he is aboard a social cause. The Development studies graduate often has charity concerts and works with different organizations that deal in different areas from Educating the poor children in slums(Uganda hands for hope based in Namuwongo slums), urban refugee rescue(Inter Aid Uganda), WA.S.H/water hygiene and sanitation(Viva con agua & Welthungerhilfe), Girl child rights protection and empowerment (Plan international Uganda ).etc.
While visiting Karamoja for the second time with the two WA.S.H project organizers (viva con agua and Welthungerhilfe), Mr. Emeru Samuel suggested in a dinner meeting that the artistes should take an effort to go back to Karamoja independently to give back to their lovely fans and friends, hence the idea of the Maro charity merchandise sell in a bid to fundraise for a project in the area. Mr Emeru later identified a school called Nabiratuk township primary school as the first priority among the places with a bigger problem in terms of sanitation.
The Maro merchandise sale #Buyforkaramoja campaign has been ongoing since March 29th2017 where Maro sells each cap and each T-SHIRT at 50,000/= UGX and so far we have not really made serious sales only awareness where we have involved celebrities in spreading the word through their social media posts after the professional photoshoots by a photographer volunteer by names Dazzle jam photography.
American actor, director and writer Morocco Omari from the popular Black Music series “The Empire”, joined the #Buyforkaramoja campaign and took picture endorsing the Maro T shirt.
Abryans collections joined and availed the T-shirts and caps at the gardencity main outlet for sale.
Douglas lwanga NTV the beat presenter joined and wore the Maro cap ant mentioned the campaign on Tv not once or twice.
Model and socialite Judith heard joined in for the awareness photoshoot and promises to be available for the Karamoja Trip come August.

The campaign will run until 12th August 2017 with a Maro concert at MT Moroto hotel and there will be activities and the start on the foundation of the Toilets and wash rooms at Nabilatuk township primary school. This will be witnessed by the volunteers that will be willing to travel with the artiste.
The M for Maro charity merchandise sale was a result of the realization of the open deification practice in the areas of Moroto and different highly populated parts of Karamoja. This was after the artiste’s visit with “Viva con agua” a German none profit organization that carries out “WASH” (water sanitation and hygiene) projects together with also German based NGO “Welt hunger hilfe”.
The program happens every March and always closes with a world water day celebration concert involving various local musicians and international musicians. The team always includes Foot ballers, Dancers, Beat boxers, paint artistes, music producers, journalists, and other volunteers who are always interested in the cause. The artistes use their influence and skills to attract and teach youths basic proper hygiene practices through songs, paintings, dance, football drills; we are grooming youths and sensitizing the community.
Maro is working closely with the above organizations i.e “Viva con agua kampala” & “welt hunger hilfe” and the few volunteers from boutiques, celebrities and dazzle jam photography to see the success of the campaign.

NB: Building a toilet is quite expensive due to the soft soils that wash away with any slight rain, which call for cementing of all walls of the hole before making a floor and the walls of the building. One unit that includes two male and two female doors with urinals takes approximately 15M UGX minus the cost of transporting materials to build.

Check the NABIRATUK TOWNSHIP PRIMARY SCHOOL introductory essay about for more.

WE WILL HAVE A FUNDRAISER EVENT IN JULY BEFORE WE HEAD TO KARAMOJA AND WE WOULD EQUALY NEED OUR SUPPORT.

Target: 15 MILLION UG SHILLINGS BY END OF JULY

Looking forward to your support
Contact us for now on +256 781 573235