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FEBRUARY 2008 |
TELEVISED BROADCAST ON RTS |
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| RTS (Radio Télévision Sénégal) filmed a special documentary on AURA and its Poto-Poto project. The members of AURA explained the roles that they play in the Poto-Poto musical: "The extraordinary stories of the Poto-Poto children" and discussed the problems that face African youths today. The programme was aired several times on Senegal's national television channel. |
| The rappers are seeking to encourage youths to become involved in shaping their futures. They aim to sensibilise the African people on the problems that children face and that are often ignored.
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NOVEMBER 2007
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SCHOOL VISIT IN DAKAR |
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| On 26 November 2007 the membres of AURA, with the support of Plan, visited one of the largest urban secondary schools in Dakar - the 'lycée des Parcelles Assaines' in Dakar. 150 students were selected to represent their classes and to discuss the challenges that they faced on a daily basis.
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The artists and the children exchanged stories about their school experiences. Given the enormous success of this visit, as shown by the enthusiasm of both the rappers and the school children; in 2008 AURA plans to visit other schools in the sub region of West Africa. The visits enable children to be directly involved in AURA's Poto-Poto project.
+info |
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NOVEMBER 2007 |
WORKSHOP ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN OUAGA |
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| During a regional conference on Children's Rights in Ouaga (organised by Plan WARO and the UN Committee on Children's Rights (CRC)), the AURA artists participated in training workshops on Children's Rights and Advocacy. They used the opportunity to discuss the Poto-Poto project with the 180 regional delegates who attended the conference. |
AURA also organised the evening's entertainment, giving a concert which featured messages focused on encouraging young people to become actively involved in political processes. The concert was a resounding success with the CRC inviting AURA to perform in Switzerland at their next conference.
+info (Comité des droits de l'enfant)
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OCTOBER 2007 |
LAUNCH OF THE ALBUM "THE EXTRAORDINARY STORIES OF THE POTO-POTO CHILDREN" |
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| This concept album which focuses on children's rights was produced over the course of 2007. Written by the members of the AURA network, in October 2007 40 000 copies of the album were produced. The album will be distributed both regionally and internationally in 2008. |
To listen to the album, please click on the link below:
The Poto-Poto album |
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JUNE 2007 |
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD |
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| To commemorate the Day of the African Child in 2007, AURA, working in partnership with Save the Children Sweden and Plan International, performed a regional concert in front of an audience of 30 000 people. The concert focused on child traficking and the concert's slogan was seized upon and chanted out: "AFRICA: DON'T WASTE YOUR FUTURE!" |
To learn more about the International Day of the African Child, please click on the link below:
+ info (International Day of the African Child) |
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MAY 2007 |
ST LOUIS JAZZ FESTIVAL |
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| AURA, with the support of Plan West Africa, performed a concert in St Louis (Senegal) to raise awareness about the problem of talibés in Senegal. Talibés are children who attend daaras (Koranic schools); however they are often exploited by corrupt "marabouts" (religious teachers) and are forced to beg to earn their keep. |
To hear the song "Talibé" taken from the Poto-Poto album, please click on the link below:
"Talibé" |
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APRIL 2007 |
FESTIVAL: DAKAR BANLIEUE RHYTHMES |
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| AURA took part in the Banlieue Rythmes Festival ('Sounds of the Suburbs') in Dakar, playing in front of 10 000 people. The Banlieue Rhythmes Festival was created as a means of encouraging collaboration between diverse musicians and cultures and is seen as an essential part of the local community development in Guédiawaye (Dakar). |
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