Future Planners Recording at Sargenic Records: Makeni, Sierra Leone

In 2005, a group of ten children orphaned by the civil war in Makeni, Sierra Leone formed a group they called the "Future Planners."  Future Planners started out as a support group, and eventually became an arts collective where orphaned kids would trade skills in singing, dancing and drawing, and perform for one another.  Now teenagers, the Future Planners are students of AEI and have completed extended training in batik fabric-dyeing, t-shirt and sign stenciling, drama and dance.  Last week, we sponsored their trip to Sargenic Records to record a song they wrote for their community called "Song for the Orphans."  Check out the pictures below, listen to the song, and scroll down to read the lyrics of their inspiring single!

Future Planners rehearsing the verses for "Song for the Orphans"

Getting pumped outside the studio

Susan on the mic

Listen to the single here!        

SONG FOR THE ORPHANS ( Krio Version)
Chorus,.. Doya leh we show some love to den orphanage pikin dem
               Give a helping hands to den street pikin dem
               Den na we future leaders, leaders of tomorrow
               Do ya leh we show some love, do ya leh we help den street pickin dem.

Verse 1 (Sama) ... Look way me dea wonder for see way pickin den dea surfer
                             Nobody nor dea for take care, some man nor even border,
                             Day and night all the time, na so den dea fight survival,
                             Under rain, under san, sickness dea kill dem oh why?
Rap.(Mohamed).. Ar bin dea jubi-jubi-jubilate, ar bin dea sing this song for the orphanage
                            Ar bin dea strain, an ar bin dea fill di pain,
                            Ar bin dea live me life lek me na orphanage.
Verse(Cossy)...... If  you see dem dea waka naz street street tin nor dea for eat,..Na for gi dem oh
                            If you see dem dea laydom na street, sie nor dea foe sleep,.....Na for help dem oh
                            Na for help dem, Na for love dem, Na dis go gi dem hope
                            Na for help dem, Na for love dem, Na dis go gi dem hope
                            All dis go bring changes insie den life, all dis go make den live a better life.
REPEAT CHORUS......................................................................................................................

Verse 2 (Komba)..Ar diffa-fummassu, Ar thuryeh-shathessu
                             Ar diffa-fummassu, Ar thuryeh-shathessu
                             So-siamma-karramarrsu, So-siamma-karramarrsu
REPEATING OF ALL THE OTHER VERSES AND CHORUSES

 SONG FOR THE ORPHANS (English Translation)

Chorus,.......    Please let us show some love to the orphanage children,
                       Give a helping hand to the street children
                       Because they are our future leaders, leaders of tomorrow
                       So let us show some love, and let us help the street children

Verse1......     Look, I'm not happy I always wonder how the children out there are still suffering
                      And no one is there to take care of them
                      And yet still some people don't even bother or even care
                      Day and night all the time they are struggling out there for survival
                      Under the rain, and under the hot burning sun, sickness is killing them oh why?
Rap,..............Am happy right now, because am singing this song for the orphans,
                     Because I have also gone through that kind of suffering, and I have also felt that kind of pain
                     Am happy now, because I am finally moving on.
Other Verse..So if you see them on the walking in the street have no food to eat, Please give them food
                     If you see also see them lying in the street, no shelter to sleep, Please help them
                     Let's help them, and let's show love to them, Let's help them and let us show love to them
                     because all this will bring changes to their life, and will make them live a better life.
  REPEAT CHORUS.........................................................................................................................

Verse2......  They killed our families, they burnt our houses
                   so we are left alone crying out for help
REPEAT ALL OTHER VERSES AND CHORUSES