SHPOPS was created in 2009 in Brussels in order to get young musicians and artists connected under various different projects. The idea of SHPOPS Projects is to promote young artists whilst also developing social initiatives. The first project 'Foreign Exchange' was a compilation CD bringing together artists from across Europe in order to show people what they were all up to and to raise money for a Youth Empowerment and HIV Awareness programme which I was involved in in Uganda.

Whilst in Uganda I set up some small music projects with young people tackling issues that affecting the young in rural communities. I also had the opportunity to meet some great young up and coming hip hop artists in Kampala and artists across Uganda and am working on ways in which to expand the collaborations done with artists and to set up a more concrete music project focusing on educating young people and helping them engage with and tackle issues that they face in their communities which may be taboo or which other youths might benefit from learning about. This project will fall under SHPOPS's 'Conscious Youth' programme.

Work in Uganda included:

-Working in both primary and secondary schools with a variety of different groups. Recording the primary school music groups' songs about issues affecting young Ugandans.
-Recording The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) Jinja Drama Group who are an HIV positive choir who use their experiences to sensitize rural communities through music, dance and drama.
-Recording & working with artists in the Jinja region
-Working with artists in rural communities who have little or no access to instruments, musical education or recording facilities.

SHPOPS will aim to promote these artists and projects in our next project in a non-profit format with money both helping involved projects and the development of SHPOPS Projects.

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