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Senior Arts Reporter

Pint-sized gospel musician Sabastian Magacha together with several fellow artistes celebrated Christmas Day at Mbare Global Life Ministries, where they hosted 64 orphans from different homes.

The event which ran under the theme “Giving Hope” saw several musicians that included Tembalami, Mudiwahood and Tinashe Magacha performing for the children for free.

In an interview with The Herald Arts, Magacha said he chose Christmas Day because that is the day where most children expect love, fun, food and clothes among others.

“I chose to celebrate Christmas Day with orphans from different homes because everyone will be with their families and these children have no one to look up to,” he said.

“No one chooses to be an orphan. This holiday is all about spoiling the less privileged under the spirit of true love, giving someone who cannot return the favour. I then created a group called Sabanation where we looked for donations from well-wishers. It is my vision to push for this cause either through music or projects.”

Magacha said they bought groceries worth $3 500.

“Our groceries included basics and food stuffs. We fed the children before partying with them and they were very happy. We even gave the children aged 1-19 years Christmas clothes. The five homes which took part in the fete are Philadelphia 1,2,3 (Epworth), Wings of Grace, Runyararo, and Chileko in Glen View. In addition to our own contributions, several partners donated their services,” he said.

Magacha said the event was inspired by his philanthropic work, which he carries out in the community.

“I have always wanted to give back to the community, putting a smile to the less fortunate in a big way. I wanted to do that on Christmas Day because that is the day every child experiences much happiness. I am happy that my parents came to support me and they also shared their story to the children,” he said.

Asked how he fared in 2021 in the arts sector, Magacha confirmed that it was a tough year.

“For artists the last two years have been very difficult, as we have not been performing in the normal way we used to do. We ended up having virtual shows but they could not sustain our livelihoods. However, we resorted to doing projects away from the microphone,” he said.

“I now have a 7/24 job as a social worker in Marondera. This year I have been busy perfecting my project for an album 2022 which is featuring different artists both secular and gospel. I also have videos coming and some have been shot in Tanzania.”