The writing of ‘Right To Be Loved’ was the first collaborative project led by Song Academy. The idea was sparked during a meeting between Rowena Atkins, CEO of Song Academy and Jo Garofalo, founder of Voice In A Million (the promoter of school singing events with the ambition to positively change the perception of Adoption and Fostering both in the UK and worldwide). They were talking about the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition and giving one of the winner’s the opportunity to perform at the VIAM show at SSE Wembley Arena. Rowena saw the opportunity of Song Academy having a unique role to help to raise awareness of the large number of vulnerable children in care and the difference that adoption and fostering makes in the world, for both child and parent, as well as a universal message that every child has a right to be loved, by writing an original song from the hearts and minds of young people.
Eleven talented songwriters were selected from Song Academy, aged between 12 and 16 (Emma Whiley, Spencer Winningham, India Whitehurst, David Zazo, Claudia Namor, Ginevra Benedetti, Gilska Weerakkody, Ella Bleakley, Max Elliot, Lilah Atkins and Roman Lewis) to write the song, which they called ‘Right To Be Loved’.
A couple of years later, the Scorer family (whose daughter was a member of Song Academy) asked if they could use ‘Right To Be Loved’ to raise awareness of the important work they were doing at a school in the Lindi region of Tanzania as part of The Lindi Society charity in Tanzania. We are so proud that this song has travelled across the world to continue spreading its message of equality and love. The Scorer family created a moving video of the pupils singing ‘Right To Be Loved’.
This rare footage offers the opportunity to see the daily routine and everyday life of school kids in a rural region of Tanzania and makes a clear statement, that every child has the right to be loved and to be raised and taken care of with respect, empathy and without violence.
The Lindi Region in South-East Tanzania belongs to the poorest areas of the country. The Lindi Society was founded in Tanzania with the mission of alleviating poverty and hardship, particularly for girls and women, by providing the best quality education they can afford to break the cycle of deprivation and lack of opportunities.
Song Academy are planning more collaborative projects to help raise awareness of issues that are important to young people and helping to shape a future they want.
