YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA LAUNCHES DOCUMENTARY IN NAIROBI

Legendary South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka, screened her 52 minutes long documentary film titled The Motherland Tour: The Journey Of the African Woman, at the Red Court Hotel, Nairobi early December.
The documentary shows Yvonne’s tour to various African countries revealing how women and children of the continent suffer from easily cured diseases due to the lack of access to basic health services.
The movie narrated by the Princess of Africa who is also the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Goodwill Ambassador has premiered in 12 locations all over the world.
Described as entertaining, important and timely, the documentary centres it’s attention on the women’s empowerment, education and poverty.
Yvonne was also in the country to launch the Roll Back Malaria progress and impact report series before she jetted out to her home country yesterday morning in preparation for a similar launch in Johannesburg on Friday.
“The launches of these reports and documentary, demonstrated how communities are taking charge of their health needs that are being availed by the government, NGOs and Development partners. This clearly shows that investments put in Malaria and health saves lives thus the need to sustain these health interventions,” said Edwards Mwangi, KeNAAM CEO.
KeNAAM is a network of Kenyan civil society organisations working to eradicate malaria in Kenya.”

YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA VISITS ANTI RAPE CAMPAIGNER ADELLE

Yvonne Chaka Chaka visited with Adelle who is the founder of No MeanS No and Anti rape campaign during her stay in Kenya.
The African Princess said, "Creating rape awareness is very important and I commend the No Means No for all their work. Rape is a sign of disrespect. If I say NO, I mean NO and that should be respected. Just because one cannot respect this, doesn't mean we women should let this dictate our lives. We should be free to wear whatever we want because as long as we say NO, nothing should happen. One of course cannot forget that men get raped too and so it is important for men to join such initiatives and get informed and spread what they've learnt too."
When asked about young men who still believe that when a woman says no she means yes:
"That is absolute misinformation and it is shocking that young men still think like our ancestors, No means No you have your work set out for you."

YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA IN NAIROBI

Yvonne Chaka Chaka is currently in Nairobi to attend the Health Symposium on Handwashing on June 30, 2010.

The Health Symposium is convened by the Alliance for the promotion of Handwashing with Soap and will bring together all key stakeholders and partners running handwashing campaigns in Kenya. Yvonne is here in her capacity as Lifebuoy brand's face to dum up support for the campaign. This complements the Government’s efforts towards promoting hand washing with soap in Kenya.

Prior to the symposium, Chaka Chaka will pay a courtesy call to the Minister of Public Health and Sanitation. She will visit Jonathan Gloag and Riara Primary School where she will demonstrate to the children the proper handwashing techniques.

AIDS ACTIVIST DEPORTED AFTER MEETING YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA

Nine well connected AIDS activists were deported from Tanzania minutes after meeting up with South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
The nine were protesting on the decreasing funding for HIV at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Dar es Salaam.
"We met with Yvonne Chaka Chaka and gave her our memorandum to present to the leaders attending the WEF; shortly thereafter we were arrested," Bactrin Killingo of the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), told IRIN/PlusNews on Friday. 

"We spent four or five hours at the police station making statements, after which we were escorted to our hotels to collect our belongings and then to the airport, where we were deported." None of the activists, who were from a variety of African countries, were charged. 

A planned national workers' union strike prompted Tanzanian President Jakaya Kiwete to cancel all demonstrations this week. "We had received permission to hold the demonstration [on May 5], but later received a letter cancelling it ... Only ten of us delivered the memorandum - it was not a demonstration," Killingo said.
Among those detained were: Paula Akugizibwe and Lynette Mabote from the AIDS 
and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa; James Kayo and Netsayi Dzinoreva from the ITPC; Linda Mafu and Soraya Matthews from the World AIDS Campaign; Sydney Hushie from the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS; and Michael O’Connor from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. 
Tanzanian government officials were not available for comment.

YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA COLLABOES WITH WILL.I.AM

South African legendary songstress Yvonne Chaka Chaka will be taking the stage today in her home country to celebrate 25 years in the industry. The Umqomboti hitmaker announced on Friday that she had done a collabo with US rapper Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.
The track, recorded in America is aimed at raising awareness on malaria.She told Sunday World that the song was recorded in two days and will be available to fans on the web, proceeds of which will go into fighting malaria.
The multi award-winning artist, who is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund, will also be raising money for communities battling malaria, HIV/Aids and poverty.
The collaboration comes ahead of her much anticipated Homeland tour which will see her sharing stages with top South African musicians such as Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Lira and the St Stithians college marimba band.
“That cannot humble me more. You know, people I have met doing my humanitarian work and they’re coming to celebrate my 25 years in the industry and the humanitarian work that I’m doing.”

Yvonne Chaka Chaka Weeps for Tanzania

Early this week, South African music star Yvonne Chaka Chaka was in Tanzania as part of her campaign to advocate for the reduction in water borne diseases particularly Malaria.
During her Monday visit to a health centre in Mtwara, Tanzania she could not hold back her tears. Yvonne visited the children’s ward where the nurses narrated a story about a mother who brought her sick child with Malaria to the hospital. Thed child died on admission to the hospital. The saddest part was that the mother had to carry the dead child’s body all the way to the village on her back. She could not afford a hearse.
Overwhelmed, the singer wept openly before she donated a car to be used in such cases.
Later she performed for an eager crowd at the Mtwara shopping centre.

Photos/Mzee Wa Sumo