By Mikayla van Loon
St Margaret’s Uniting Church in Mooroolbark will be bringing back its popular annual performance by the Singularity Choir next week to continue raising funds for the Rubaga Youth Development Association (RYDA) in Uganda.
This year’s show, taking place on Sunday 5 June, will be staging Gilbert and Sullivan’s much loved Pirates of Penzance, with excellent singing, stunning costumes and great company guaranteed.
St Margaret’s relationship with RYDA began 25 years ago when a member of the congregation, Doug Williams, happened to sit next to a man in San Diego trying to support disadvantaged and orphaned young people in his home country.
RYDA founder Geoffrey Steven Kyeyune at the time was trying to engage with children living on the streets and Mr Williams asked how he and the church could help.
“He said ‘we could really do with some tennis balls’. They go out onto the streets at night and just sit in the dirt with the kids. They found that rolling a ball at them they’ll probably roll it back to you,” Mr Williams said.
“They could then keep the conversation going and eventually invite them to come along and learn a skill.”
RYDA began housing and educating around 16 to 20 children in 1993, something that has now grown to over 200 children, as well as staff.
The children are trained in a particular ‘apprenticeship’ like hairdressing, mechanics and bricklaying while being housed at the dormitory style living quarters, separated for boys and girls.
As a not-for-profit organisation and charity, Mr Williams said RYDA does not receive any government funding, so donations like those from St Margaret’s helps to provide essential items.
“We know that it is impossible for the organisation to survive on the small amount that we’re able to raise. We’ve always known that whatever we send is used purposefully and appropriately for the time.
“There’s been a lot of that small scale stuff, which has generally been spent on things like food and clothing because the young people come and live there. It’s a residential campus, so they have to be totally looked after.”
On a larger scale, St Margaret’s and St John’s Church in Cowes were able to help rebuild RYDA’s assembly hall after a storm tore it down, a place that had been used as the main gathering point for staff and residents, as well as a financial support when weddings were hosted there.
“The most important thing is the daily ongoing need. At the same time we had this problem begin with all the prices going up, they had exactly the same thing.
“So how many bars of soap do you think you need for 200 kids to be able to wash themselves everyday, wash their clothes and suddenly the price of it went up three or four times and you’re on a fixed income. So the daily needs are important.”
Ten years ago Singularity joined the cause to help raise funds for RYDA by hosting a concert for the church congregation and anyone else interested in attending.
“Gilbert and Sullivan is known for just being nuts. Their music is bright and cheerful. They are usually parodying something from their time, usually something political or something that’s going on in society,” Mr Williams said.
The efforts of Mr Kyeyune and the rest of the staff at RYDA have inspired a long line of people, schools and churches to support the work being done to remove children from a risky and dangerous future.
“Along with the organisation growing, we’re often amazed with how the spirit moves people to recognise the story and do something special about it.”
Singularity will be heading to St John’s Church for a second fundraiser concert on 12 June, a donation box is always placed at St Margaret’s, a gentleman in Yarrawonga collects recycled cans to exchange for money and schools often host fundraisers.
Hoist the mainsail, weigh anchor and set ye a true course for St. Margaret’s Uniting Church, Hull Road, Mooroolbark. Tickets are $10 each at the door or can be reserved by ringing Janet on 0418 567 591.
