About The UFCA Cultural Troupe
UFCA cultural troupe is a group of young talented musicians, dancers
and actors of
diverse ethnic groups from around Uganda . They range in age from 11 to
23 years old.
Twenty of the members are young orphans, and live in two rented group
houses in
Kansanga - the group should be understood as both an artistic and a
social action
group, and it is excellent in both regards.
The group was started in 2000 by three of the members, and was
sponsored, until
recently, by the Society of Jesus, as part of the UNDUGU movement, which
began after the Rwandan genocide with the mission of using performing arts to
promote peace and
unity. (”Undugu” is Swahili for “brotherhood and sisterhood”)
The group has done countless performances like use of financial
services. The play on
financial services was commissioned by the Association of Micro finance
Institutions in
Uganda , and performed in five districts around the country to large
appreciative
crowds. The group has also performed at weddings and cocktail parties,
and has
performed for government functions including a state visit of the
President of Tanzania,
the East African community presidents summit which involved five
presidents from
Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Tanzania, at the launch of policies
for vulnerable
children for the Ministry of Gender, and at the launch of the USAID’s
AFFORD project it
also performed during the African Micro finance conference held in
Uganda last year.
The group usually presents traditional music and dance from around
Uganda , but also
has talented actors who have developed and performed educational plays
on HIV/AIDs,
war in the North; UFCA is one of the best music and dance troupes in
Kampala . It
receives some financial support from American friends who have seen
their
performances and their social work in Uganda , but does not have a
generous ongoing
subsidy like the Ndere Troupe. It is distinguished from other troupes by
the youth and
energy of the young actors, and by the fact that the orphans live
together as a family,
and their love and support for each other is evident during the
performances.
We are transparent, committed to our social mission, and wonderfully
entertaining.