News / Project Zulu
Popular South African student choir to return to Bristol
Following the success of its previous tour in 2023, the Project Zulu Choir is set to return to Bristol.
In May, a new group of 20 children, aged 11 to 14, will embark on their first trip outside South Africa to Bristol. Accompanied by their teachers, they will spend three weeks touring the South West of England, busking at various venues.
The initiative, organised by UWE Bristol, is focused on educational development projects that create lifelong learning opportunities in township schools across KwaZulu-Natal which is achieved through volunteer trips involving staff and students.
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The most recent trip of contingent from UWE to South Africa in February proved to be an enriching experience, fostering cultural exchange, academic collaboration, and personal growth.
The trip had three primary objectives: engaging with students and academics in Richards Bay, coordinating with school principals in Dundee and Newcastle for the upcoming August volunteering period, and reconnecting with the 2025 Project Zulu choir as they prepared for their highly anticipated tour.
Seven UWE Bristol PGCE secondary students, specialising in subjects such as science, geography, PE, and art and design, spent two weeks at partner schools in Richards Bay.
UWE PGCE student Alice Ditchburn teaching at Khula High School – photo: Project Zulu/UWE Bristol
These future educators applied their newly acquired skills, knowledge, and experience in real-world teaching environments, forging new connections.
The Zulu choir’s three-week tour, running from May 17 to June 8, will see them perform at a variety of venues, from city squares and churches to concert halls and schools, bringing the vibrant sights and sounds of South Africa through song and dance.
The exchange continued as University of Zululand UNIZULU students visited UWE Bristol, observing their counterparts’ teaching methods and offering valuable feedback. In turn, UWE Bristol students had the unique opportunity to stay with Zulu host families, gaining cultural immersion.
After the resounding success of their 2023 tour, Project Zulu Choir is returning to Bristol -photo: Project Zulu/UWE Bristol
One choir member said: “I feel very proud, nervous, and excited all at the same time. I’m the first one in my family to have a passport, to go overseas, and to have this opportunity. It means so much to me and my family.”
The tour will culminate in a Project Zulu Gala Concert, featuring Britain’s Got Talent finalist Innocent Masuku, at the Bristol Beacon on June 5.
All profits raised from the choir’s tour will go directly to the schools of the Project Zulu 2025 Choir. These funds will be used to improve educational facilities, including harnessing solar energy and installing digital classrooms with learning and technology equipment.
Project Zulu choir members Muhle and Siyabonga toured Bristol in 2023 – photo: Project Zulu/UWE Bristol
In addition, the choir will visit primary and secondary schools across Bristol, offering further cultural exchange opportunities.
Host families in Bristol will welcome the choir members into their homes, becoming partners in the initiative.
For more information visit www.projectzulu.org
Main photo: Rachel Oakes
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