A jazz singer’s gift of music to South Sudan’s children

FARAH MOHAMED

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

Denise Pelley, 56

Volunteer, Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan

London, Ont.

Every January for the past six years, Denise Pelley, 56, packs a suitcase with small tambourines, shakers and other noisemakers and travels more than 11,000 kilometres to a town called Gordhim in Sudan to run a music camp for 250 kids. Ms. Pelley, a jazz singer, is a stalwart volunteer for Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan. After decades of internal conflict and war, and independence from North Sudan just last year, the Republic of South Sudan is in rebuild mode. Having just returned from her annual excursion, Ms. Pelley, who is a performer by night (she’s opened for Aretha Franklin) and community worker by day (for Junior Achievement), is already selling CDs and holding events to fund next year’s trip and visit her Sudanese family, some of whom are budding musicians.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/giving/giving-profiles/a-jazz-singers-gift-of-music-to-south-sudans-children/article2328199/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Home&utm_content=2328199