The Birth of Akon’ny Lanitra: 19 June 2022
How four young people from the Ambohidratrimo Adventist Church launched a choir to build cohesion among the youth, and why it now bears the name Akon’ny Lanitra.
A Shared Observation
It all begins with a conversation between four young people from the Ambohidratrimo Seventh-day Adventist Church: Rina, Hasinjaka, Nary and Fitiavana. We made the same observation: many young people in the church take very little part in its life, and each one stays within their own circle of friends, with no real cohesion between the groups.
A Choir to Create Cohesion
Among us, someone was already composing songs. The idea took hold: a choir could be a way of bringing people together. Some had doubts, not feeling able to sing. Our answer was simple: it is not a question of knowing how to sing, but of motivation. If everyone is motivated, we are ready to take up the challenge together.
From the start, the goal was modest and clear: to organise the young people and create a comfortable atmosphere among them, where everyone finds their place.
Without Waiting
We did not wait. At the end of a service, we invited all the young people to stay and announced that everyone present would, from that moment on, form the church’s youth choir. Almost nobody imagined this was possible. Some reminded us that a similar initiative had existed before, only to fade away over time. And yet, we did it.
From a Few to About Thirty Members
At the first gathering, there were between 8 and 12 of us. We then grew to about thirty members, and the organisation quickly fell into place:
- The name and logo of Akon’ny Lanitra Ambohidratrimo: Rabe Rivomalala;
- The anthem: Fitiavana Rbrl;
- AL’s songs: composed mostly by Rizia Rbrl.
These names matter to us, and we do not want to forget them.
19 June 2022: The Official Founding
A concert on 19 June 2022 marked the official founding of the choir. We wore two outfits: the JA outfit (Adventist Youth) and the rainbow outfit, made up of plain dresses and shirts, each in a different colour.
What Has Not Changed
Even today, we are about thirty. The numbers remain stable: it is sometimes the people who change, as members move away or are posted elsewhere, but not the headcount. And our reason for being is the same as on day one: to praise and preach through music, while keeping the youth united.