Ajabu Africa

Home

News

Blogs

Contact Us

Country Profiles

Orbits

Photos

Sports

Technology

Visiting Leaders

Kenyan Child in Worcester Qualifies for Hollywood, Needs Community Backup

11 year old Ann Wanjiru Gichuhi a.k.a. Shiro, ( with microphone , entertains guests with a number from her Karaoke machine during a fund raising commitee meeting at her home in Worcester recently.Shiro has been handpicked by International talent hunters to attend a further auditioning in Los Angeles in the summer of 2011.Her family and friends are appealing to the Kenyan community and well wishers to come to her aid with funds to make the dream come true.To the extreme right is her mother, Magdalane Gichuhi, and to the extreme left is her grandfather, cap backwards, hands in the air . Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Images

By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News , Posted April 1

WORCESTER, Mass._Ann Wanjiru Gichuhi (Shiro) is only 11 years old, but she has the nerve and demeanor to sing and act in a way that has not been witnessed in the Kenyan community in the Diaspora for a child her age.

After rigorous training and testing by talent hunters in Boston, Shiro, as fondly referred to by friends and family, has been offered a rare opportunity to attend a talent convention in Hollywood.

The convention named iPOP (International Presentation of Performers) will take place in the week of July 2 to 7 this year. At iPOP, Shiro will be auditioned by qualified professionals who are currently working in the industry and she will get a chance to experience the realities of the entertainment and fashion industries from the inside. She will get valuable experience in performing in front of large groups of people, as well as important agents and managers, practice her auditioning and develop networking skills.

Her Background
Born in Pumwani Hospital in Kenya on May 3rd 1999 to Martin Gicharu and Magdalene Gichuhi, Shiro started showing interest in music at an early age of two when she used to listen to a then popular Kenyan pop artist, Isha.

According to the young Kenyan, she got very devastated by the news of the tragic death of Isha, who was her favorite musician at the time, in a car accident in Nairobi, Kenya. “It took me a while to stop crying because of what had happened. It was hard because everyone was talking about the terrible accident”, Shiro told Ajabu Africa News during an interview at her parents home in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“That’s where everything started. I stopped listening to his music as often because we relocated to US. Then I started making up my own songs instead”, she added.

Shiro’s talent development did not happen without hard work. By the time she turned four, she had started to perform in front of her immediate and extended family members during various house parties like birthdays and baby showers.

“When I was five, I knew that this was my dream. I was in America where dreams do come true so I started entertaining guests at weddings and joined our church and school choir”, she said.

In 2005, while in Kindergarten at Quinsigamond School, she performed an inspiring song “This Little Light of Mine” to encourage a 5 year old cancer patient name Kyle who was her classmate. Her singing touched the hearts of the student, teachers and Kyle’s family and her story was published on Worcester Telegram and Gazette that week.

Ann Wanjiru Gichuhi ( Shiro)

Shiro took a music class at North Grafton Elementary School in 2009 and attained a Best Singer Certificate. She took dancing classes at Joan Yankauskas Dance School in 2004/5 and is also a member of Worcester Children Chorus. Shiro has also trained in gymnastics at Girls, Inc. in Worcester. She is currently training at John Robert Powers (JRP) in Boston to improve her skills in music, sitcom, TV commercials and auditioning.

Academic Awards and other Achievements
Shiro has achieved various academic awards which include: Books and Beyond Medal from North Grafton Elementary School in 2009/10; Student of the Month at North Grafton Elementary School in 2009/10; Student of the Month at Heard Street School of Discovery in 2010/11. She is also the current vice president at Heard Street School of Discovery and one of her major responsibilities is to officially welcome parents and teachers during scheduled Parents/Teachers meetings.

Theater
Shiro’s big contact with real American theater performance occurred in 2010 when she performed in a supporting role as an orphan in a big musical play, Oliver at the Hanover Theater in Worcester. This was accomplished after attending a four month training camp called TheatreWorks, offered by the Assumption College Department of Art, Music and Theater. “There were over 200 people in the audience and it was a lot of fun for me. I got to meet new people and that’s when I really got interested in acting” says the ambitious young Kenyan who dreams of becoming a professional singer/actress some day.

Costs of Achieving Dream
However, the ambitious journey to achieve her next level of success is not coming easy without a cost. When Shiro’s parents noticed her relentless music and theater interests, and upon Shiro’s repeated requests to be signed up for auditions as advertised on TV, her wish was finally granted when they signed her up for her first audition with John Robert Powers(JRP) in Boston.

Since then, the family has had to come up with thousands of dollars for subsequent trainings and auditions that followed with each step that their young daughter cleared when talent hunters recommend her to the next level.

This involves a lot of traveling costs as well as training and auditioning fees. The auditions, that usually last a whole day, have been taking place in Boston every Saturday for the last three months. Her mother, Magdalene Gichuhi, has to travel with her from Worcester on every visit.

“Initially, I had a lot of problems because my youngest sons were only two and three years old when I started to bring Shiro to Boston for auditions”, she told Ajabu Africa. “But eventually, I managed to make arrangements for a baby sitter since my husband also has to work during these days”.

So far, the family says they have spent over $6,000 in a span of three months for her to go through the program.

Committee members deliberate on how to help the young Kenyan achieve her dream

The biggest shock came when they received news that Shiro has been recruited to attend the iPOP convention in Hollywood.

The invitation came with a list of the estimated costs in fees and accommodation for the one week stay. Being under 18, Shiro will have to be accompanied by her mother and that adds to the total cost.

Recognizing the need to assist the family, a group of family friends joined together to deliberate on how they can help the family cover the costs and help Shiro get closer to realizing her dream. They have formed a committee that is organizing a fundraising event to be held at St. Andrews the Apostle Catholic Church hall, 5 Spaulding Street, Worcester 01603 on April 30th, 2011.

About 20 members of the committee gathered at the Gichuhi’s family house on March 20, 2011. During the meeting the fund raising organizers displayed to Ajabu Africa News, documents showing a list of the estimated costs of attending the convention to the tune of about $15,000. “It is a substantial amount of money needed here and that is why we are asking for community help”, said one member.

“The family has done their best to get this child reach this level and I believe the community can chip in and push her to the next level” added Ann Kiarie, the secretary to committee.

The present committee members expressed their hope that many people from the Kenyan community and their friends will turn out in large numbers during the fund raising event.

Another member indicated that Kenyans are well known to rise up to help one another at times of good times and tragic times and that every effort should be made to reach as many people as possible because Shiro’s success will not be hers alone but for the entire community.

Other members said that they hoped many Kenyan music producers, businesses, churches and individuals will help propel the young Kenyan to reach her dream. To get more exposure, Shiro said she would work with her family to make a few videos of her singing which can then be shared on YouTube.

While giving a vote of thanks at the close of the meeting, one thing notable for Shiro was that she showed no signs of stage fright and can engage an audience into a conversation just like a self assured and confident adult would do. She thanked the Kenyans who have continued to encourage the family not to give up hope.

“I am going to Hollywood in July!” she said with a lot of confidence, “and I thank God for a great dream is about to come true. I believe that Kenyans will come and help me achieve my dream”. She then fetched a karaoke machine and microphone from her bedroom to entertain her guests at the meeting with several tunes.

And with such a huge dose of nerves and obvious talent, the young Kenyan seems to be headed for the big screen.

Those wishing to contribute to this good course but cannot make it in person may make their contributions through Digital Credit Union Savings Account Number 5433010 in the name of Ann Gichuhi.

Ajabu Africa News wishes the young Kenyan all the best of luck in her upcoming fund raising and Hollywood auditions and also commits to contribute funds in support of the young talent.

For more info, call: Peter Chege 781-727-5928

Watch Video below as Shiro Sings