The three ladies that make up Women of Jazz, Puna Gabasiane, Kearoma Rantau and Nnunu Ramogotsi, owe their singing talent to the church that raised them.
“Growing up in a church-oriented community instilled in us a sense of love, caring, sharing and respect for others. Being musicians that uphold such qualities, we have taken it upon ourselves to work with and for our community,” said Puna Gabasiane.
These three amazingly outstanding Batswana women who have been in our music industry for years have now decided to collaborate and brand themselves as ‘Women of Jazz’.
Through this label, their sole intension is to work with a different Non-Governmental Organisation every year to help them raise funds towards seeing through their different endeavors.
This year they proudly announced during a press conference held at Gaborone Sun on Friday that they are working with GenderLinks, an NGO whose main focus is to work towards the realization of a Southern Africa in which both genders are able to participate equally in all aspects of public and private life.
This, according to GenderLinks, would be in accordance with the provisions of the Southern African Development Community (SADAC) protocol on Gender and Development.
As young women, the trio sees the need to make a difference in someone else’s life as a priority. For that reason, they are planning to host a VIP dinner event in partnership with CA Sales and Gaborone Sun.
The VIP Dinner event will cost P500 per ticket at Gaborone Sun on the 20th of August and all proceeds will go to GenderLinks.
Each ticket is inclusive of live music by Women of Jazz, dinner and a bottle of wine per table at Gaborone Sun.
GenderLinks said at the press conference that they are very grateful for the gesture and that it could have not come at a better time.
“We have recently been finding it very difficult to carry through our projects. As an NGO in a country that is considered as ‘middle earning’, it has become close to impossible to receive aid from international donors since the recent credit crunch because we are expected to have the ability to raise our own funds,” said Mrs Ntsabane from GenderLinks.
Women of Jazz are optimistic that they will get support from members of the public to raise as much money as possible for GenderLinks.
“Over the years, we have never disappointed our supporters when it comes to delivering good quality Jazz and we believe that the tickets will sell like hot cakes as a result of people’s love for good quality live music and the quality service that one always anticipates at Gaborone Sun,” said Nnunu.
