Following the devastation caused to Mozambique by two cyclones in a period of 6 weeks, a solidarity movement for the Mozambican people has come to life in Angola.
Angola State Television (TPA) held a fundraising concert titled Grande Show Solidario (Great Solidarity Show) to raise aid for those affected by the natural disaster. The event took place in the courtyard of the Citadel Stadium, in the nation’s capital Luanda. It showcased 10 artists from Mozambique and 40 from Angola.
The stadium was filled with young people who were given free entry into the show, although donations were encouraged.
The chants of ‘forca para Mozambique’ (strength to Mozambique) could be heard from the crowd, as they were thrilled with some of their favorite sounds ranging from Angola’s popular kuduru music by talent such as Osmane Yakuza and O Trio to kizomba from artists such as Heavy C.
Angolan music was seamlessly blended into Mozambican Marrabenta music by Neyma.
Angola’s music star,
Heavy C. Photo credit: Heavy C/ YouTube
“We’ve united the whole country from North to South, to create a chain of solidarity that goes east to Mozambique,” said Manuel Cabingano Manuel, Campaign Operations Coordinator from Angolan state television TPA. “We collected 110 tons up to now and just today we collected another seven tons (of aid).”
The concert, aided by a TV campaign succeeded in raising 61 thousand dollars (20 million kwanzas).
Angola and Mozambique are the largest Portuguese speaking countries in Africa, and so share a common cultural camaraderie.
Aid continues to pour in for the support and rebuilding of areas of Mozambique that were hit hard by both Cyclone Idai and more recently Cyclone Kenneth.
Both natural disasters have left over a thousand people dead in the region, which includes Zimbabwe and Malawi. Thousands more have been displaced.