AFRICA RISE UP!!! Exclusive interview with

Dewey & Fiya Posted On 10 Jan 2015

By : vozAfric

It’s really a great priviledge to have Dewey & Fiya in the house for a gran interview, despite their very tight schedules. In this

revealing interview, Dewey & Fiya talks about their life, how they found themselves, and giving birth to a huge, strong and

reliable organisation called Africa Rise Up! It may interest you to know that one of the founders making things to happen is not an

African but German. Read…

VOZAFRIC: About Dewey & Fiya? …to say something about ourselves is not easy at all…

Dewey was born as Alfred Norman Reid in Hannover Jamaica. He had a dream… his ambition was to be a youth football coach,

though football and sport generally is still part of his life. After leaving the institute of sports, where he did sports organization, he

ventured into music, by chance. His first tour was Dennis Brown, Lt. Stichie and Freddie McGregor back by Lloyd Parkes, and we

the people’s band, this was way back in 1989. He then spent 23 years working and touring with Jimmy Cliff. This sojourn ended

in 2003. Since then, he has worked, mostly as an independent Tour Manager/Booker, with the likes of Gregory Isaacs, Cocoa Tea,

Frankie Paul, the Mighty Diamonds, Luciano, Tarrus Riley and others.

Fiya (pronounced as “Fire”) was born as Kirsten Maria Uhl in Glabeck Germany had also a dream…She wanted to be a trainer

for diving and volleyball, and she did it until she had a sport accident, then she stopped doing professional sports. And so would

life be, and everything came up different. Her original profession is specialist for European tax and law. In 1998 she came

accidently in touch with Reggae Artist, and up from then she also started Touring and Hospitality in the scene. Further, she was

involved in her first CD production and working for many festival promoters by doing stage concepts and line-ups till today. The

largest festival beside Essen Original 3 day festival (ca. 500.000 visitors) was Klangräume Essen 7 days festival (ca. 700.000

visitors ) she can count her references.

VOZAFRIC: How you met? Dewey was on tour with Cocoa Tee and Frankie Paul…Fiya picked up Frankie Paul for a Dub Session…

VOZAFRIC: Your first thought about each other? Dewey: Yo this daughter is useful.

Fiya: What a cool Tour Manager…(and she don’t say that often).

Slowly they found out that they have the same visions and matching in many different ways equal together, and the day of

“Deweyfiya” was born.

VOZAFRIC: Your Motto? There is nothing shame about to fall, but it’s a shame not to stand up!

VOZAFRIC: About your organization? Africa Rise Up is a project created by Alfred Norman Reid & Kirsten Uhl in January, 2014. Finally in October 2014, the project

became registered as a non-profit organization in Germany. Both working over 20 years in entertainment world-wide with major

Raggae artist, also in Africa. Through their experiences over the years, they can count international references. Both are

representing peace, love and development transferred to African Rise Up.

VOZAFRIC: Your mission? Empowering people

Employment and self-employment

Peace and development

Healthcare

Education

Orphan care

Music and art education

Intercultural exchange

VOZAFRIC: Your vision? The vision is to create innovative productions and products on the highest level and quality promulgated legal rules and

regulations of international business and marketing standards and aspects. This productions and products should secure the

income of our partners “Non-Profit Organizations” to be independent of donations and aid, to continue their humanitarian work

constantly without any future fears.

VOZAFRIC: Who are your team? The HQ team who is sitting in different Departments:

Kirsten Uhl (Germany, ARU President), Project Management, Marketing, Conception Implementation, Branding

Alfred Norman Reid (Jamaica) Tour Coordination, Tour Management, Bookings.

Toney Owens (Jamaica) Music Productions, Tour Management, Bookings.

Viola Schmitt (Germany, 3VisionArt) Design, Flyer Poster, Video Processing and Realization.

Chidi Chidi Umeh (Nigeria) General Representative, On the Ground.

Kelvin Grant (UK) – formal original musical youth member – Technique and Quality Management “House of Skill”

VOZAFRIC: Let us know the challenges you face running this organization? At the beginning people misunderstood our content. They got the view that there is a rich Non-Profit Organization coming from

Europe to donate or aid their non-profit organizations. Now you can imagine that there was a big hype about the project, as a lot

people on the ground where seeking for money. I got many mails every day such as: ‘oh please we need school supplies’, ‘we

need money for food’, ‘we need new computers’ and so on. So my general answer after a while was: Africa Rise Up is not a

“private Banker”… and “money never falls from the sky” (also not in Europe). NOT that I don’t understand the request, I fully

do…

But the whole concept is “Help4Selfhelp”, as we represent the viewpoint that Africa and its citizens can’t develop and rise by

donations or aids. So the teaching and motivation starts here. Which is sometimes like “Move Mountains”, people in general love

their custom, being afraid to start something new.

In this one year, I found a lot of people who loves the project itself (superficial), but they are not able to fit in the structure, which

is also standing for High Quality and Consciousness. People describe themselves as professional, but they act like in the 80’s.

Others think they can do what we do, and at the end of the day they fail. Because they see the ready product, production or

deal, but not the work, the knowledge, the efforts and discipline which is behind.

Right now I am dealing with 14 different African Countries, in some countries we have 2-3 Non Profit Organizations we are

working with. I love every country in Africa, you know… Every country member loves his/her own Country most, which is

understandable, but don’t force me to choose your country as my personal favorite, same with the non-profit organizations. All of

the chosen are real peerless and doing elementary works on the ground. Unity is the only key, and it is not a competition, it is

a mission. Don’t force me to choose a country or organization as my personal favorite. I love all and each single one.

We have to use the social network professionally wise to represent our work. That means we have to use all channels such as

Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Google+, Linkin etc. Sometimes it is not easy for me to see that people constantly trying to promote

themselves as humans instead of their work and the content of their work. The person itself is not really my interest, my

interest is, and will always be, the work and the content of the work the person is doing. Some people posting and posting and

posting without message. For me, the message and where I want to reach out is always on focus. I see myself also secondary, I

am not important. Important is only the project within its message and goals for Africa.

African mentality is the total opposite of mine as European, especially as German. Even though people are saying that I am not

typical German (whatever it means). The fact is, I like to speak out things directly, also if I am disturbed by someone’s actions in

public, in context with the project. It is my job to correct them, as I am responsible for the branding and corporate identity. I like

to be straight to people and not “beating around the bush”. I guess sometimes people take that attitude too personal and not

objective.

In this one year, I was also challenged by other organizations who want to associate with ARU, and I thought it could be good for

Africa and the project itself. But soon, I found out that they just wanted to use me personally and the ARU to make money. In

clear text: they wanted to start rob Africa “undercover” the blanked of ARU. I am happy that I found out this “political

game” they wanted to play with me, and I cut all connections in all its consequences. Some African people were and still are

members of that organization, and even before me, they start rebel against them, because the only intention of that organization

was to get “Membership-Fee” from Africans. The same people now holding “flag high” for that organization, which is simple

not understandable for me. This kind of attitude “rotating with the wind” is very strange to me…and is not a characteristic to build

any trust in.

Financial aspect. Since ARU is active, I personally reduced my active work (as professional accountant in European Tax and

Law, as the work for ARU took more and more of my time. That means I reduced my living standard to the essential needs. I

never asked and will not ask for donations or aid. If companies want to become a sponsor for the project to cover cost which we

have in Germany, I am fully okay with that. Africa Rise Up is my Mission. I want to see the continent and its People rise and

shine.

VOZAFRIC: Since you also have projects in Africa, how do you cope, especially in

Ebola hit countries? Well, this Ebola outbreak is just a next challenge. On our topic we are dealing with Liberia and Sierra Leone since April 2014, to

the others, we have no contact for the moment. It is very clear that we can’t do any festival unless the outbreak is totally under

control, but we have other ways to support the people on the ground. I am in personal contact with Sahid Victor Vandy, who is

one of the volunteers in the Ebola areas. He keeps me updated with pictures and other information about the actual status. Further,

we’ve already done radio interviews which were hosted from the UK, Galaxy Radio FM (Empress Diane A King), Peterborough

FM (DJ Linksy), Rhythym FM Nigeria (Covenenat Child and ItalSounds) World-Wide, also direct to Sierra Leone. Every radio

interview were also attended by artistes: Kelvin Grant (original musical youth), Ky-Enie, Iza, Shocking Murray, Chidi Chidi

Umeh, Nu Chilly etc. Radio interviews are important to encourage the population, to show them that they are not alone!

Right now we have T-Shirts for online sales with Brother Merchandise out of Florida. For Liberia, we could handle a deal over for

about 20.000 shirts. The profit of sales will be directly used for Ebola Outbreak Orphans. A lot of them are homeless and need our

support.

We will always find ways to support this Ebola Ourbreak Countries. The ideas are growing. Probably I personally and Kelvin

Grant will fly to Liberia in February…. No, No, we are not crazy… there are possibilities to protect ourselves.

VOZAFRIC: What are your future projects? As mentioned before we are collaborating with 14 different countries and Non Profit Organizations to organize the Festivals for

this year. The Sponsor request season has just started. Please read below:

1. Burundi: Club des tambourinaires Rukinzo legacy, Mr. Christophe Kinshasa, Traditional Drums and Dance.

2. Gambia: YAFSSE (Youth Action for Food, Self-Sufficiency and Education), Mr. Cherno Jallow

3. Ghana: SIMBA Ghana, Mr. Abdul Mumin Sofi Yamzza, provide skills and knowledge to the youth strata of society so that

they can recognize and use the resources around them for their holistic empowerment as well as promote good governance.

4. Ghana: HOP IN ACCADEMIE, Mr. Maccarthy Lamotey. Hopin presents the best educational content online, apps and tools

and transforms it into a strong self-directed learning experience via coaching, P2P learning, mentoring, projects and experimental

learning in a physical setting.

5. Kenya: Cheery Children Education Center, Mr. Jairus Makambi, Education Today. Hope for Tomorrow.

6. Liberia: DPA Development Poverty Action, Mr. Sahid Victor Vandy, reaching out with Volunteers wherever it is needed.

Building up a Children Village for Orphans of EBOLA Outbreak.

7. Malawi: Empowerprojects, Mr. Anthony Hall, Coordinating 38 villages in a vast isolated area can be tough. Isolated villages

also means people lack a central place where development initiates can emanate from. This is the case in Kapita. Land was

earmarked for development of a regional community centre which has potential to become an epicentre for development. The

community centre being constructed in Zatuba Village is to house offices, a community hall, a community library, a community

bank, a nursery school, a medical dispensary, food/seed bank and a community radio station.

8. Nigeria: Youth Education and Leadership Initiative (YELI) International, Mr. Amedou Monday, The overall goal of the

proposed project is to provide peace education and intensive leadership training interventions, turn the trend that often make many

Nigerian communities become battlefields for violence during elections and the like, where youths are rather than empowered to

promote peace and non-violence, support success, and or be part of transparent and credible leadership formation, are hired and

armed to commit crimes and violent conflicts.

9. Nigeria: Beautifull EVES of Africa, Mrs. Ngozi Okere, Organization for the purpose of grooming and projecting the hidden

treasures embedded in the lives of the African indigent Children, youths and women.

10. South Africa: Golden Youth Club, Mrs. Mahlangu Noma, GYC is a young dynamic project with a passionate vision to make

performing art more accessible to audience in South Africa and across the world. It is also promoting Africa Art & Culture to keep

Tradition alive.

11. South-Sudan: Teen Confront Organization, Mr. Daniel Mwaka, is a non profit charity Organization dedicated to improve

and empower the moral standards of our young generation.

12. Tanzania: Matumaini Child Care Center, Mr. Anthony Hall (rose of Education globally) , Matumaini, meaning ‘Hope’ in

Swahili, is located in Rau Village at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. The center’s mission is to house and educate orphaned and

vulnerable children, ranging in age from six to eighteen years.

13. Uganda: PMK Save the future, Mr. Lucky Luggya Peter, Organization that provides physical and psychosocial support to

marginalized and at-risk Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Vulnerable Youths and the HIV positive living in the Wakiso district.

14. Uganda: THE CONSTITUTION OF VISION RECOVERY PROJECT, Mr. Marc Rasheed support the education and

welfare of vulnerable children from poor, needy and disadvantaged families.

15.

Swaziland: Mr. Bernhard Reck TBA, IMBALI Foundation Empowerment Programme for Swazi Girls using traditional and

spirituality as a strength.

16. Ethiopia: Dennis Thomas TBA

17. Sierra Leone: Sahid Victor Vandy TBA

VOZAFRIC: Send greetings to your fans and words of encouragements to people

in Africa I & I want to give thanks to my HQ Team who are my real backbones. Also to the teams on ground! To the artist who voiced on

the CD Sampler Production (which will be out soon), to the artist who took their time to make all this video jingles. To Empress

Tamika who was so kind doing the video ‘African Woman’ for us.

I have only one ambition you know, I only want to see “Africa Unite” and “Africa Rise Up”. I want to see mankind live together –

black, white, Chinese…everyone. That is all. GOD / JAH / ALLAH BLESS AFRICA!!!

To contact Africa Rise Up:

Call: 0049-15204044598

eMail: jusmusic63@yahoo.de

Web: http://jusmusic63.wix.com/africariseup

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