Watershed, one of South Africas favourite home-grown bands, has released a new single ‘Believe’ a song inspired by the children who pass through the care of the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Foundation (WSPCF).
The WSPCF was founded by Dr. Robin Kinsley in 2003, together with the Sisulu family and Netcare as founding partners, to provide life-saving surgery to underprivileged children with congenital heart disorders from across Africa.
The foundations patrons include former president Nelson Mandela, and United Nations Global Messenger of Peace, HRH Princess Haya Al Hussein of Jordan.
Its a fact that 1 in 100 babies worldwide is born with congenital heart defects, says WSPCF CEO Lynda Bleazard. 95% of these can be easily corrected. Sadly, only 20% of babies and children in SA, and less than 1% on the continent of Africa, have access to any such life-saving treatment.
Based in Johannesburg, the Foundation has provided hundreds of life-saving surgeries, performed at the Netcare Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg, and the Netcare Christian Barnard Memorial and Red Cross War Memorial Childrens Hospitals in Cape Town.
There are currently an estimated 2,800 children with cardiac defects on South Africas public sector waiting list, and in the rest of Africa that number is conservatively estimated at 350,000 children. Without surgery they will die. We rely heavily on the generosity of our corporate sponsors, partners and individuals to make financial donations to allow us to continue to fund the life-saving cardiac surgery for these children, Lynda says.
Craig was inspired to kick-start the Believe project during a visit to the WSPCFs paediatric cardiac unit in Netcare Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg.
Ive always failed to understand the concept of when it’s your time, it’s your time, particularly when it comes to children says Watershed front man Craig Hinds. When I met with the team at the WSPCF, I saw that they are giving more time to children who would otherwise have no access to the critical medical care that they need to survive.
After Lynda Bleazard, the CEO of the Foundation, asked us if we would be interested in working with them, the answer was a resounding yes and writing and recording Believe was the best way we knew how, he continued.
Craig wrote ‘Believe’ with the concepts of belief, opportunity and possibility in mind. The WSCPF is giving children the possibility, the real possibility of living a long life, says Craig. Thanks to the dedication of everyone involved in this miracle of a foundation, there will be nothing in the world that these children can’t believe in.
An incredible video for the song has also produced, which stars some of the children who have been given the chance to live a normal life through the WSPCF’s work. The video can be viewed on Watershed’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/WatershedSA
The South African music industry ‘family’, service providers and suppliers involved in the development and production of the song and video freely gave their time, knowledge and expertise to bring this project to life.
There are so many people we need to thank who helped make this project such a success, says Craig. In particular we need to thank Maxplaysa for assisting with the distribution of the CDs, Look & Listen’s branches nationwide for stocking it, Next Music for handling the online distribution, and Yvette Lee for conceptualizing and producing the entire project.
Here are a few lines from the song:
It’s all about growing up to be who you want to be. It’s all about
hopes and dreams and everything in between, and as you grow you will
find all the love in this world, cos there’s nothing in this world
that you can’t believe in. Open up your eyes and feel the space in
this world, cos there’s nothing in this world that you can’t believe
in! Loyalty is a thing you learn but courage flows in the blood,
challenge all the obstacles that come along taking love from your
life. You own the dignity and the decency and you will grow old! cos
there’s nothing in this world that you can’t believe in!
The song can be purchased on CD exclusively at Look & Listen stores for R20, or it can be downloaded digitally for the same price and proceeds will be donated to the WSPCF. For those who want to make an additional contribution, SMSing the word ‘Believe’ to 42400 will make a R30 donation to help further the foundation’s work.
‘Believe’can be downloaded from the below service providers
- Nokia OVI
- Vodacom
- Look and Listen on-line
- DSTV O Music
- Samsung Music
Further information - If you would like a copy of the single, a high-res photo of the CD cover e-mailed to you, or would like to chat to Craig or Lynda ‘ please contact Carmen, KB or Cian at the below details
Carmen/Cian/KB @ Tribeca Public Relations
011 208 5500 / 071 864 0266 / 072 238 3596
[email protected]
[email protected]