Overview

The non-profit organization Canadian Artists for African Aid Inc. (CAFAA), incorporated in November 2006, was created with an objective to inspire change and to raise awareness about humanitarian issues in Africa. Better known as Song for Africa, or 'SFA', its three branches, Advocate, Create, Impact, bring together innovative educational tools, corporate social responsibility, and motivation for political participation. Linking the power of pop culture with established international development efforts, SFA brings the reality of everyday life in Africa to a primarily Canadian, but ever-expanding audience. The brainchild of Darcy Ataman, it builds upon previous initiatives such as the Song for Africa record and subsequent documentary.

Though the official name of the corporation is Canadian Artists for African Aid Inc., the organization has branded itself as 'Song for Africa' or SFA, and will continue to market itself as such, with CAFAA being used solely for legal purposes. Members of the Canadian entertainment industry along with private sector donors, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations in Africa, the US, and Canada, have created meaningful partnerships in order to help spread SFA's message.

SFA recently completed the production of their second documentary and an accompanying album in June 2010, featuring an impressive roster of Canadian artists.

SFA fundraising efforts directly support the SFA Scholarship Program, as well as their most recent program in Rwanda: the Music Enrichment Program.

History

In the spring of 2006, Winnipeg-based music producer Darcy Ataman brought together several up and coming and well-known Canadian music artists to write and record a CIDA-supported music single and video called --Song for Africa to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. On August 13, 2006, the single and video premiered at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Ontario, in front of 30,000 delegates. Since its premiere, the music video has been in medium rotation at MuchMusic and the single placed #2 on the Soundscan CD Music Single Charts for a straight month. Several radio and television stations including CHUM FM, eTalk, ET Canada, CTV News, CBC News, Global TV and MuchMusic have all been extremely instrumental in lending their support to further the success of this project and raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa.

The follow-up Song for Africa Documentary was broadcast on Citytv to a national audience in September 2008, reaching over 30,000 households. The film's premiere, also held in September of 2008, at Tattoo Rock Parlour, helped garner press from Breakfast Television (BT), ET Canada, 102.1 The Edge, SunTV, and MuchMusic, among others. As a unique artist-based organization, SFA embraces youthfulness to promote its charitable goals. Not only do artists participate in campaigns, but they also contribute directly to the foundation and development of the organization. An artist occupies at least one seat on the Board of Directors at all times.

Mission, Vision, Values

Mission Statement - Song for Africa engages and informs on African development, through socially conscious art and media. Song for Africa creates and supports future community leaders living in African communities affected by extreme poverty.

Vision Statement - Song for Africa will be a leading and accountable philanthropic media organization that creates outstanding works of art and provides development assistance. These efforts will raise awareness on African development and contribute to sustainable change both domestically and internationally.

Values Statement - Song for Africa is apolitical and secular and focuses on humanitarianism, universality, accountability, and innovation.

Our Philosophy

Here at SFA, we are of the mindset that it doesn't take much to make a difference, all it takes is a little persistence. Individuals and powerful ideas shape history, and the creation of music can change lives. At SFA we feel it doesn't take an oversized budget and organization to enable real and sustainable change. Our SFA Scholarship Fund supports next generation leaders and provides customized assistance to these special kids, while SFA as a whole has achieved significant reach, effectiveness, and success for an organization with minimal resources at their disposal. One person can make a difference in the world, and creating music can change lives - and Song for Africa is counting on that.

SFA Team

Darcy Ataman
CEO/Executive Director
Darcy Ataman is a musical chameleon that has applied his producing, engineering, programming, mixing and vocal coaching skills to a multitude of projects in Canada and the US. In the hip-hop world he has worked with DJ Kemo from the Rascalz, Grand Analog and Philadelphia sensations United Soul at DJ Jazzy Jeff's A Touch of Jazz facility with producer Peanut (Boys 2 Men). He has also collaborated with super producers Dre and Vidal (Usher, Ciara, Michael Jackson) on various projects with artists from the Philadelphia area. In the Canadian pop world he has worked with and produced for McMaster and James (Sony/BMG) and Canadian Idol winners Ryan Malcolm and Kalan Porter (Sony/BMG) that earned him double platinum status and his first Juno nominated work. Darcy has also mixed worked with for rootsy, and newly minted broadway artist Kyle Riabko as a mixer (Aware/Columbia/Sony) and as a vocal coach for legends Levon Helm (the Band), Larry Campbell (guitar player for Bob Dylan) and the Dixie Hummingbirds.

Ataman's crowning musical achievement came in the form of a compilation CD single, entitled "Song for Africa." Spearheaded, driven and musically produced by Ataman, the project "Song for Africa" brought together Canada's A-list artists including members of Billy Talent, Thornley, Big Sugar, the Watchmen and Choclair among others in the purpose of educating Canada's youth on the plight of AIDS in Africa. The CD single was the #2 selling CD single for the month of August 2006 and motivated Ataman to produce a subsequent documentary and go on to found and dedicate himself to Canadian Artists for African Aid Inc. in order to continue the work Song for Africa started.

Completing the second SFA documentary, Rwanda: Rising Up! in June 2010 and an accompanying album (once again including more of Canada's A-list artists), Ataman and his team at SFA, continue to develop and support various on-the-ground programs in Africa that span from educational and health related initiatives to creative capitalism.

Lucas Robinson
Vice President
Lucas Robinson currently works for the Canadian International Development Agency in Afghanistan, as part of Task Force Kandahar. Prior to joining CIDA, he worked with CARE Canada as a researcher and project manager. He has worked throughout Asia, Africa, North America and Europe, and written on numerous subjects, including media coverage of the 2003 war in Iraq, the use of new technology in war reporting, and the impact of commercial remote satellite imagery on the 2001 war in Afghanistan. He holds an MA from George Washington's School of Media and Public Affairs, and a BA from the University of Toronto in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Karan Bhutani
Administrative Manager
Karan joined SFA’s Toronto office as an intern to help in the strategic planning of the relatively new organization. By working as an intern for four months, he learned the concepts of strategic planning and was successful in formulating a strategic approach for several SFA projects. He also initiated the budgeting system for SFA with regard to individual projects and the financial statements for the years 2006-2008. Karan has been working under the guidance of Darcy Ataman and helped in imparting knowledge to setup an administrative base for SFA. The Scholarship Fund appeals to Karan as a necessary tool to make a better future for the kids in Kibera, Kenya.

A computer graduate from India, Karan came to Canada to pursue his Masters in International Business from Vancouver Island University. After completing his education, SFA gave him the right platform to implement his knowledge acquired at the university. Karan has been coordinating the operations for the SFA Scholarship Fund and hopes to follow a similar successful approach in Rwanda.

Karan believes in working towards creating a healthy environment for the related Kenyan and Rwandan communities, and there is no better way to start than educating the future generation as they will be the torch bearers for their respective communities.

Having worked as a computer programmer, Karan wants to shift his career focus to business administration and strategy, and help in formulating a long term strategic plan for SFA.

Peter Northcott
Marketing Manager
Joining SFA in 2008 through an internship program at Vancouver Island University, Peter helped promote the SFA documentary and then helped launch the opening of the Toronto offices in the summer of 2008. With big ideas and a critical thinking mentality, Peter is on board to help SFA achieve its long-term goals and successfully communicate SFA’s message of hope and promise. Before obtaining his Masters in International Business and commencing his post with SFA, Peter worked for the Quebec based advertising intelligence firm Eloda in Montreal, where he put his years of French immersion in to practice and got his start in marketing.

Drawn to SFA for the unique opportunity and affiliation with the arts, Peter has worked in numerous positions, ranging from a bike builder, to a volunteer in Guatemala, to a writer for an online music webzine. When he’s not busy at the Toronto offices, Peter can be spotted running the stairs at Casa Loma, or keeping an eye on the local music scene. Peter also earned his B.Comm. in Marketing Management from the University of Guelph.

Jaime Cundy
SFA Scholarship Fund Coordinator
Bringing the SFA message across Canada and the World is a mission that Jaime is ready, willing, and able to take on. Based out of Calgary, Alberta she has begun to bring SFA to the Wild West of Canada.

After working on a development projects in rural Africa, Jaime returned home to continue with her personal mission to bridge the gap between Canada and Africa. SFA seemed to be a perfect fit, as it combines three of her greatest passions; Music, Education, and Global Cooperation. After an initial Summer of music festivals in 2009, she looks forward to a bigger and better season in 2010. With fresh new ideas and an ability to envision a clear goal for the future, she believes that SFA will soon be the #1 Not for Profit in Canada.

Currently finishing her Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, she hopes that she can turn her knowledge and experience into an effective vision for the future of not only Canada, but the World.

Catch her if you can at airports across Canada and the United States, or living it up in the Rocky Mountains of Western Canada! Stop for a chat or throw out a high five, and you will surely be met with an enthusiastic “Hello!”

Julie Lafrance
Event/Fundraising Coordinator
Julie has been working with SFA as an event coordinator since the spring of 2008. She has worked on projects such as the SFA Celebrity Skydiving/Rock climbing event, the Montreal Art Sale, The Celebrity Art auction and many smaller fundraisers. Song for Africa encompasses 3 things she cares deeply about � music, art and philanthropy. Having spent most of her youth volunteering with organizations, planning fundraising events and having studied International Development and Anthropology at McGill University, SFA was a natural progression and a great fit.

When she is not fervently working organizing events or running around making sure everything is going as planned, Julie can usually be found surrounded by teen-angst and art supplies. With a BFA in Art Education from Concordia University, Julie has taught visual arts at every level from parent and child courses to adult education. She now works as a high school visual arts educator in Montreal and continues to create her own artwork on the side. As if this wasn’t enough, Julie is also completing a certificate program in Fundraise Management at Algonquin College to sharpen her skills for SFA.

Rebecca Purver
Writer/Researcher
Rebecca has been involved with Song for Africa as a writer and researcher since early 2007. With a background in political science from the University of Toronto, she has a special interest in issues of public health and education, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. During an exchange year at the University of Manchester, she joined a group of student volunteers, fundraising for a trip to Zambia. Six weeks in Livingstone with the UK charity Hope For Children, building a school and assisting in the classroom of another, further stirred a passion for international development.

Across Canada and abroad, Rebecca has also been involved in campaigns for Oxfam, UNICEF France and the fair trade association Artisans du Monde. She continues to blend a love of the arts with a dedication to making a difference in the fight against global poverty. Rebecca is currently pursuing studies in management and working as a project coordinator for a post-production film studio.

In her spare time, you’ll likely find her planning her next exotic getaway, which may involve long walks on the beach, camping out at rock festivals, singing along to Broadway musical soundtracks, board games, bicycles, a bowl of hot and sour soup, or best of all � a combination of the above.

Rebecca Nawade Ngaywa
Nairobi Representative
Rebecca Nawade Ngaywa is SFA’s on the ground Kenyan representative, presently located in Nairobi. She reports on the condition of our 4 recipients of the Scholarship Fund and is also constantly researching for new candidates in Kibera.

With a diploma in Early Childcare Education alongside certifications in Arts in Medicine (Florida University) and Play Therapy, Rebecca has acquired skills which help her in children rights activities and mobilizing resources and donor relations, where she can interact and create a positive environment for the donors to make their contributions. Rebecca has been trained in providing psychosocial support to the children affected by AIDS, and she believes in providing a healthy environment for the AIDS infected children, where they can experience enriching lives and assist in their integration into society.

Rebecca loves working with children and through the SFA Scholarship Fund, wants to give more and more children the opportunity to complete their schooling and build a brighter future for them

Daniel Gaga
Rwanda rep for Music Enrichment Program