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The quartet's concert being held at the Louis Leakey Auditorium at the museum from 7pm to 9pm, would feature a wide range of classic, pop and African music genres as they showcase their mastery of various instruments such as the violin, and trumpets to mention a few.
The triplets Mary, Magdalene and Marta aged 16 and their younger sister Seraphine, 14, form the award winning Moipei quartet. They are the youngest group to be awarded Head of State Commendation by Kenya President Mwai Kibaki, in addition to being selected as UNICEF Child Ambassadors in 2007. Their special concert comes at a time when the cancer cases have been on the increase, claiming lives and also affecting kids like Nasimiyu vowing to win the fight.
Every year, an estimated 18,000 patients die of cancer in Kenya of which, according to Human Rights Watch Children's rights researcher, Julianne Kippenberg, children are badly affected. According to her, most cancer patients in Kenya don't have access to curative or analgesic care they need.
"Children are at a particular disadvantage," she said, in which she hopes that the government would offer free cancer treatment soon. Yet, two to three decades ago, the disease was more common among the elderly, not the youth. And the situation is expected to worsen. Certain types of cancer such as colon, rectum and stomach cancer are expected to double from 1.1 to 1.7 percent and 1.4 to 2.2 percent by 2030 respectively says a UN report.
But the high cancer death rates did not deter young Nasimiyu who intrigued many, to fight the disease of which she produced a song, "I believe" while undergoing cancer treatment. She represents many kids affected by cancer, and is the first Kenyan child with cancer to come out in the open on national TV and talk to Capital Talk presenter, Jeff Koinage concerning her condition this year.
Yet signifying a new trend of youth on the fight against cancer, the Moipei sisters just like Nasimiyu, would also dedicate their music to kids with cancer for their first time. The quartet is known to have previously performed in various events including Young People Festival in South Korea, World Urban Forum in China among others locally. They recently won an Award, in "Best of Africa" category in the SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards, Durban South Africa.
The quartet's performance would make it affordable for kids' families like that of Nasimiyu's undergo radio therapy and chemotherapy. Treatments are worth Sh15000 to 60,000 depending on the public or private hospitals they go to.
Requiring funds to treat cancer to remission, this cocktail event' funds would go towards Nairobi Hospice to Support Children with Cancer.
Charges are Sh2, 000 and tickets are available at Art Café outlets in Nairobi. For more details of the event, Labo can be contacted on 0721218902.
By KenyaKidz
