Support Hodi Maputo Afro Swing During COVID Crisis
Hodi Maputo Afro Swing is a non-profit cultural association based in Maputo, Mozambique. At least 30 senior artists are making a living by teaching and performing at festivals and shows both in Mozambique and internationally. Now that all events and classes are cancelled to slow the spread of COVID-19, Hodi members and their families face an existential crisis.
Our target is to provide each family of Hodi senior artists with 150 EUR/165 USD per month (for the duration of three months) to make sure they can buy enough groceries, electricity etc. while shows and teaching are suspended. In turn, we would like to share with our supporters the rich Mozambican culture of music and dance.
About this Fundraiser
Mozambique does not have a social welfare system and there are no food banks. Thirty families in total depend on the income generated by Hodi. Each family needs at least 150 EUR/165 USD per month for groceries, electricity etc. The government of Mozambique decided to cancel all cultural events from April 1st until at least the end of May. Considering that in many countries events are prohibited until the beginning of September, we are aiming for 13900 EUR/15000 USD to cover the period until the end of July. The total sum includes transaction fees for the fundraiser platform.
About Hodi Maputo Afro Swing
Hodi was founded in 2014 with the goal of preserving, disseminating and researching Mozambican traditional dance, music and instruments as well as African American Swing Dances and their roots in African arts and culture. Cultural associations like Hodi Maputo Afro Swing are the backbones of local communities as the large majority of their activities and events are accessible and free of charge. Through their songs and shows, the artists raise awareness of social issues such as HIV/AIDS, gender roles and women’s rights. Some Hodi members give music lessons at local schools. Their extensive youth programme ‘Hodi Afro Swing Kids’ as well as ‘Hodi Junior’ and ‘Hodi Infantile’ educates local children and teenagers to become professional dancers and musicians. A newly founded theatre group ‘Teatro Hodi’ focusses on the development of acting skills of young people and adults.
In total there are
- 30 senior artists (20 dancers, 10 musicians)
- 5 musicians as part of the band ‘Banda Hodi’
- 11 dancers as part of ‘Makwaela Hodi’ (a traditional acapella men's choir)
- 16 dancers and 7 musicians as part of ‘Hodi Junior’
- 26 children as part of ‘Hodi Infantile’
- 6 actors as part of ‘Teatro Hodi’
- 14 singers as part of ‘Hodi Choir’
- as well as the Maputo Afro Swing community (collaborators, friends, families, neighbours)
The current crisis is a threat not only to the livelihoods of the individual artists. The future survival of the association and the crucial structural impact they have on their community is at risk. By supporting Hodi Maputo Afro Swing, you’re therefore not only supporting the artists of the association but also their wider communities.
