By George Orido
When award winning gospel star Mary Atieno sang her hit number Adamu na Eva, she inspired many souls with her composition.
This was the beginning of a new pop culture in the gospel scene and this year, Sarah K’s Liseme was named the best in local Gospel Awards.
But yesterday Liseme got another accolade through Likoni School for the Blind, Mombasa, that won the Gospel Zilizopendwa category for primary schools.
The boys and girls moved the audience to tears with their presentation. Their teacher was overcome with emotions when adjudicator Frankline Etyang announced they were winners.
“I can’t believe it because many times we came here and we were told our children cannot dance,” she said.
Previously the team has made it to the nationals level, but only managed the third position with judges saying they lost on the dance.
“We cannot blame Likoni School for the Blind for being unable to dance,” said Mr Etyang who declared the group a pedigree of sorts, in vocals. The most curious thing was how their teacher Elizabeth Ngare conducted a group that could hardly see her hands like the rest of the other teams in this category.
“I was moving all over and I would tap them to signal when a voice would come in,” explained Ngare, who is also the Coast Provincial Music secretary.
Own input
She revealed that the pupils’ own input played a major role in the excellence of the composition.
Ngare says the blind pupils also have a high degree of self-esteem and sense of belonging that yields a formidable team spirit.
