Colin Currie in Mozambique
You might expect to see Colin Currie onstage at Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam or another of the world's great concert halls. But in 2006 he travelled thousands of miles to Mozambique at the invitation of development charity World Vision in conjunction with Classic FM. Currie saw some of the charity's projects in action, visited a little boy who he himself sponsors, and was able to share his passion for music with local musicians, taking part in drumming celebrations in many of the communities he visited and improvising with village musicians on traditional percussion instruments.
Colin visited the village of Cafene in World Vision's Namacurra Area Development Project, where he was given a musical welcome from a percussion group called 'Nyambalo'. Here he took part in the opening ceremony for a new borehole supplying clean water for the village.
"The opening of a new borehole is a big celebration for everyone who lives in the area," said Colin. "As we approached the new site, we were met by children who were singing, dancing and playing the drums. I was asked to officially hand over the key and watched as the children lined up to drink their first glass of safe, clean water."
He also visited a health post in Muiebele, constructed and supplied by World Vision, and met families from some of the poverty-stricken communities helped by the charity. The highlight of Colin's trip was a meeting with Antonio, his sponsored child. At first, Antonio was visibly shy. But as Colin said later: "As soon as we made eye contact a bond of friendship was forged." - a bond sealed with a game of football. Towards the end of his trip, Colin visited the Musicians' Union in Maputo and spent time jamming with percussionists playing traditional Djemba drums.
For more information on World Vision visit www.worldvision.org.uk