History
The first idea for creating the song ‘The power to change - Millennium Development Goals’ was born during the summer of 2004, when I met Mercedes Moore (singer and composer). At that moment I had just returned from Burkina Faso where I conducted my thesis research for the development organization ASUDEC (local partner of Heifer Nederland (the Netherlands). For this organization I investigated the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural development, in the areas where the organization is active.
Impact of HIV/AIDS on rural communities
‘HIV/AIDS has major impact on all aspects of rural livelihoods. When a person gets ill, he or she is unable to work. Family or community members, especially women, are obliged to take care of this person. Families loose breadwinners, communities loose people in their productive age and organisations loose key workers. Agricultural productivity and food security are reduced, leading to the inability of households to meet their basic needs. When parents die children become orphans, which leads to an increase of child headed households. Besides these consequences, cultural practices, taboos and social stigma increase the vulnerability of people. Also people, who migrate to urban areas, for income-generation proposes, return to their rural communities when they get sick. In short HIV/AIDS diminishes societal resilience and the chances of people to overcome the poverty cycle’.
Reference: part of the adopted policy proposal of The Third Chamber 2006: Reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural communities
When Mercedes Moore heard about my experience in Burkina Faso and other developing countries, she suggested that ‘we should make a song about this’. During the summer of 2004 we gave a concert where we played a number of Mercedes’ songs. Playing together was very fruitful and I kept Mercedes’ offer in my mind.
In February 2006 I was one of the 150 members of The Third Chamber present at the inauguration celebration. The Third Chamber is a shadow parliament in the Netherlands dealing with Development Cooperation. Third Chamber members lobby to create spaces in Dutch public debate for topics of relevance to development in an attempt to increase the general public’s awareness on development cooperation topics and issues. They also formulate proposals to present to the Dutch Parliament containing suggestions geared at enhancing Dutch Development Cooperation efforts.
After the Inauguration of The Third Chamber 2006 I remembered Mercedes Moore’s offer. Besides a policy proposal related to the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural development, I wanted to create a song. At the time Mercedes was living in the South of France, but she was very enthusiastic about the idea and willing to cooperate.
The idea was fully supported by several Third Chamber members, with whom I also worked on the proposal ‘Reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural communities’. In consultation with my fellow Third Chamber members the decision was made that the song should focus on the Millennium Development Goals.
The Millennium Development Goals are an essential component of Dutch Development Cooperation policy.
In the summer of 2006 I travelled to France to create a song about the Millennium Development Goals, including the impact of HIV/AIDS in the developing countries. The song ‘The power to change - Millennium Development Goals’ is the final result of our intensive cooperation.
The pre-master of the song was completed on time for the plenary session of the Third Chamber on the 3rd of November 2006. At the plenary session of the Third Chamber proposals with sufficient preference votes are put on vote. The proposal ‘Reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural communities’ was adopted. The song ‘The power to change - Millennium Development Goals’ received the first prize as the best The Third Chamber activity for 2006.
The mastering of the Edit version was completed in December 2006. Two versions of the song have been pressed on CD, only for promotion purposes. A logo has been developed for the song ‘The power to change - Millennium Development Goals’ and the CD. This logo is linked to the song text, as well as the ultimate goal or wish:
Imagine living in a world
Where love and peace are everywhere
A New Year card and a CD of the song ‘The power to change - Millennium Development Goals’ was sent to all new Dutch parliament members as well as to Dutch European Union parliamentarians in Brussels.
The translated text of the New Year’s card is as follows:
We wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful 2015!
Let’s work together to realise this also for people in developing countries.
Will you join us?
On behalf of The Third Chamber working group: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) song
Jolande Blok, Lillian Nabwala Kilwake, Jing Qian, Wande Remme en Ethjel Tolsma
Written by: Ethjel Tolsma