Sofa Sounds Kick-Off Event

A celebration of talent, for a great cause.

It was the first get-together for our members.

Matthew Whitmore, one of our co-founders, delivered an inspiring introduction to the Yandisa Initiative; giving our members a clear idea of the goals and greater mission we aim to achieve. Matt called upon his dear friend, Everisto Chabalanda, to share his experience of being sponsored to further educate himself, achieving his seemingly unattainable aspirations.

Huddled in a cosy living room, the group new Yandisa members watched with tears in their eyes as the two friends embraced. Having helped Matt through his Bcom Accounting degree, Everisto and Matt share a strong bond forged at Rhodes University where they graduated together during 2017. Everisto is living proof of the success we are trying to emulate for Yandisa. Both having come from rural and underprivileged backgrounds, Everisto provides the Yandisa Initiative with insight gained from first-hand experience.

The rest of the day marked a celebration, filled with music provided by our very own extremely talented members.

The beer keg was well in use on the hot summers day as Josh Easton-Berry took us away with his impressive acoustic arrangement. Alyssa Whitemore joined him to deliver her powerful vocals recorded on one of his original tracks.

The fun didn’t stop there, as some of our other hidden talents took to stage. Jesse Filaferro and Karl Steinhagen further wowed the unexpecting group and led us into some of our favourite sing-alongs.

The event was a huge success, leaving our members feeling proud to be part of something special and excited to watch it grow into a brighter future.