Africamix Collective Volunteer Pledge For Needy Children Announces holding their first meeting on May 25, 2002 at the Pope Paul II Memorial Center in Rubaga

KAMPALA, Uganda - April 25, 2002 - Volunteers in Uganda for the upcoming Africamix Collective Volunteer Pledge For Needy Children festival announced today they will be holding their first meeting on May 25, 2002 at the Pope Paul II Memorial Center in Rubaga.

Volunteer coordinator and Makerere University student, Hazel Twesigye said the primary goal of this first meeting is to form a Volunteer Organizing Committee that will be responsible for planning the festival and get volunteer members acquainted. "There will be a cash- only UG Shs 10,000 fee for participating," said Ms. Twesigye, who added that some of the other issues to be addressed at this meeting will include: Discussions on how the volunteer arts and music celebrations will be used as to help combat child abuse and neglect? What are the potential benefits and goals of the Africamix Collective Volunteer Pledge For Needy Children festival in Uganda? To what degree
should the general youth community be involved in the project? How should the festival beneficiary organisations be defined?"

The two-day event that will take place in Kampala from 7th - 8th of September 2002 seeks to showcase a rich diversity of music styles. The festival will benefit local Organizations providing services to needy children and will provide forums for volunteer guest speakers to promote public awareness of the ongoing impact of child abuse.

"I am very excite to be part of such an endeavor that clearly focuses on using arts and music celebrations to increase volunteerism and help to combat child abuse and neglect. This is something beneficial to all
of us in community," said Mrs. Betty Makumbi, Africamix volunteer and Kampala small business owner woman

When asked to describe what is special about this ambitious project launched by a group of African students in USA calling to test whether arts and music celebrations can be used to help combat child abuse and neglect? Dorothy Uwera, Makerere University student and Africamix volunteer said: " One of the most important features of this project is its emphasis not just on music celebrations, but on growing need
for attention to improving the life and protecting the rights of children in Africa-particularly in those regions impacted by civil wars, the HIV/AIDS health epidemic and poverty"

The entirely volunteer event is part of the collective touring pledge festival designed to help combat child abuse and neglect that will commence in USA in June. Other Host countries include Canada in July;
England and France in August; Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia in September; Zambia, Mozambique, Madagascar and South Africa in October; Botswana, Angola, Congo Brazzaville, DR Congo and Senegal in November and Mali,Sierra-Leone and Nigeria in December.

"We have a responsibility to use this volunteer arts and music festival to make a real difference in the lives of these abused and neglected children," said Ms. Twesigye. "I am very excited about this event in our country because it offers an opportunity to many young local artists to serve their community, while ultimately, promoting their talents to potential sponsors," she added.

About Africamix in Uganda
The upcoming Africamix Collective Volunteer Pledge for Needy Children festival in Uganda is a two day long alcohol-free outdoor celebration that focuses on fostering and encouraging utilizing of multicultural arts and music celebrations to help combat child abuse and neglect. The volunteer-organized and oriented traveling arts and music festival provides a forum for volunteer guest speakers to promote public awareness of the ongoing impact of child abuse.