The Conshohocken United Missions & Outreach Team are working together with the CPW Rotary on a new global youth arts initiative that connects local students with young people at the Karama Education Center (KEC) in Uganda. The project blends creativity, cultural exchange, and service, inviting participants to engage the project and share their gifts in a variety of ways.
Creators of all ages are invited to submit an entry to One World, Many Voices, an international songwriting contest. Songwriters may submit original songs in any genre that celebrate unity, hope, and global friendship by September 15th. Winning entries will be showcased during a combined live and virtual cross‑cultural celebration featuring performers from both communities and performances from KEC’s Music, Dance & Drama (MDD) program. The showcase will take place October 24th at Jillian’s Café inside Conshohocken United Methodist church.
Young people can apply to join the 2027 youth mission experience. Students from Pennsylvania and Uganda will collaborate on arts projects, community service, and cultural learning, through virtual and in‑person experiences, culminating with a visit to Uganda next summer. This partnership gives young people the opportunity to build friendships and experience global citizenship firsthand and learn how music, dance, and drama uplift the Karama community. The program will include opportunities to practice in service in the local own community before going to Uganda and prepare the team for experiencing different cultures.
Teachers in the United States will help select instruments and provide training on simple rhythm instruments. The team will bring the instruments as a gift for the school, perform a demonstration at Karama and then play together with Karama’s MDD Club.
“Our youth are eager to serve, learn, and grow,” said Dave Patterson, Co‑Chair of Conshohocken United Missions & Outreach. “This partnership allows them to experience mission work not as charity, but as mutual transformation. They’re learning that service is mutual.”
Long term partnerships create lasting change
This project is a natural extension of a long term partnership. Conshohocken UMC and CPW Rotary’s relationship with Karama Education Center, when they happened to encounter Nora Burkey, founder of The Chain Collaborative. The Chain Collaborative was working on safe water for the Karame Education System. Conshohocken and CPW Rotary raised money to install a Living Waters for the World water filtration system, an improvement that dramatically enhanced the health of the school and surrounding community.
Their partnership has continued, installing solar panels to fully power the campus, creating a digital learning center, and launching a gardening program that provides each student with two nutritious meals a day.
The project supports CPW Rotary’s and Conshohocken UMC’s ongoing partnership with KEC and will strengthen the education center’s growing Music, Dance & Drama (MDD) program by providing funding for indigenous instruments, costumes, and training resources. These resources will allow students to travel and use music, dance, and drama to educate their community on public health and other important topics.
“This project will be a great boost to the creativity of young learners at the Karama Education Center,” said Twinamatsiko Founder and Director of KEC. “It will enhance cognitive growth, social skills, and confidence, while greatly strengthening cultural preservation, public health promotion, and social development within our community.”
“This is more than a contest—it’s a bridge,” said Pat Patterson, CPW Rotary Foundation Chair. “When young people create together, they discover shared humanity and build relationships that transcend borders.”
For Pastor Karen Barkowski, the most exciting part of the project is the impact that’s generated when churches reach beyond themselves and partner with others in the community. “Conshohocken United is a really beautiful example of how what would be considered on paper a small church can still participate and do really meaningful, fruitful, and powerful things. We can make a difference, but we can’t do that by ourselves.”
This program was birthed from collaboration and shared values, and it will come to fruition from future collaboration. You are invited to join the journey. You can be a part of this movement where young people create together and transcend borders. Submit a song to the songwriting contest, by September 15. You can attend the Showcase at Jillian’s Café on Oct 24th, or youth can sign up to join the mission/cultural exchange team.
Interested high school students should apply by September 30th to join the youth mission team. Complete the interest form here.
Questions? Contact Pat Patterson at pattersonp50@gmail.com.
Learn more:
• Watch the video: Click here to watch a 30-second video about the songwriting contest.
• Watch the whole Karama story or submit a song: Click here to submit
• Learn about The Chain Collaborative which helped found the KEC: TCC