RELIEVING NEED, NURTURING TALENT
The Gstaad Menuhin Festival and SOS Children’s Villages Switzerland have been working together to nurture children’s talent since 2019. Both young aspiring artists and the humanitarian work of SOS Children’s Villages are thus showcased in Gstaad.SOS Children’s Villages runs programmes that enable children to access education and support them with their occupational and social skills. In addition, the aid organization educates families about the importance of education and fights against child labour. Nurturing talent is an integral element of education. SOS Children’s Villages works to strengthen the self-confidence of children and youth worldwide and to provide them the tools to discover their own interests and skills, giving them a fair opportunity to shape their futures themselves.
The musical success of Itumeleng Ralebitso, a young woman from Lesotho, is one story from the projects run by SOS Children’s Villages. Nicknamed “Tumi” by her friends, her strong and soulful voice is immediately apparent when she begins to sing. When you watch Tumi perform her song “Thank You”, you would never guess the fate she once suffered. Tumi was only eleven years old when her single mother died of AIDS. She and her five sisters were left with nothing. When she came to the SOS Children’s Village Maseru shortly afterwards, Tumi was relieved. “I didn’t have to worry any longer about where our next meal would come from. I didn’t have to work anymore.” Tumi’s SOS mother took in the scared girl and her siblings and helped them rebuild their trust. With her help, Tumi also found the courage to develop her talents – especially her singing. “Before I came to SOS, I never thought about my talents. It was always about what we would have to eat that day,” When she was 26, Tumi wrote the song “Thank You” and dedicated it to her SOS mother and all the supporters of SOS Children’s Villages.
The mission of SOS Children’s Villages is to give all children the opportunity to write their own stories. Many children in the SOS Children’s Village Maseru (pictured above) in Lesotho are waiting to follow in Tumi’s steps. For more information or to make a donation, please click here.
