Technology notes

Massukos are using music to help bring an end to poverty.

Credit: WaterAid / Therese Mahon

Massukos, one of Mozambique's biggest bands will be playing at MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY rally.

Massukos are using music to help bring an end to poverty in their home province of Niassa in Mozambique.

During June and July this year they will be in the UK to take their message to the G8 at the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY rally in Edinburgh on July 2.

Three members of Massukos work with WaterAid Mozambique's longest standing partner ESTAMOS (meaning "we are") using music to spread development messages about water, sanitation and AIDS to communities and government.  Feliciano dos Santos (Santos) is the Director and founder of ESTAMOS. He became a musician during the 1980s and is a founding member of Massukos. Santos is a composer, singer and guitarist for the group.

Santos says, "As I started to work in development I realised we can help but we really need to challenge and change the mentality of the people."  Massukos's music and the work of Estamos informs local villages about the new schemes available to them, explains the need for safe water and sanitation and encourages them to contribute resources and seek assistance for projects to provide them with life's basic necessities.

G8 Edinburgh 2 July 2005Massukos arrive in the UK on 25 June and will be rehearsing, recording new tracks and appearing at some live events in London before travelling up to Edinburgh for their live performance at the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY rally.

Massukos' album was awarded a gold disc in Mozambique for selling 30,000 copies in a few days, and has now notched up domestic record sales of 80,000 copies. The album has reached international audiences, and Massukos won the international prize for water and the arts at the 2003 Cannes Water Symposium in recognition of their lyrics.

In Mozambique it is estimated that only 33% of the population have access to safe water and the proportion of Mozambicans who have a hygienic toilet is just 27% in rural areas and 53% in urban areas.  The health impacts from the lack of safe water and sanitation are severe: diarrhoea is prevalent in 20% of under five year olds and 13% of deaths in under fives are attributed to diarrhoeal diseases.

Estamos, funded by WaterAid, has helped build more than 500 pit latrines and 250 protected wells in Niassa since 2000.