African musicians like Salif Keita and Youssou N'Dour have brought their continent’s diverse sounds to an international audience, but one South African female singer has stepped out of the limelight to deliver a global call to action.

Yvonne Chaka Chaka, known for her anti-Apartheid anthems in the 1980s, has since become a tireless advocate for the struggle against disease in Africa in addition to her contuining preforming career.  A new documentary, The Motherland Tour, tells the story of this proud African mother and her quest to meet other inspirational women who have made a difference in improving the health of their communities throughout Africa.

From Zambia to Zanzibar, this film documents Yvonne's journey to raise awareness of how women are addressing their most pressing daily issues, including malaria, maternal and child health, HIV, women’s empowerment, education, and poverty. See a short trailer here:

After a career that saw her star rise from the townships of Soweto to become the first black entertainer on South African television in 1981, it was the death of a bandmate and friend that changed Yvonne’s life. Phumzile Ntuli, one of Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s backup singers, fell ill after a 2004 tour in Gabon. Before doctors back home were able to properly diagnose her sickness, she was dead of cerebral malaria within days. Ntuli’s death opened Chaka Chaka’s eyes to a deadly reality for millions of her fellow Africans.

“Six months down the line [after Phumzile’s death] when UNICEF asked me if I wanted to be a Goodwill Ambassador, I told them I wanted to be a  Goodwill Ambassador on Malaria,” she said at the September London premier of her new film. “I wanted also to be educated myself.”

Yvonne Chaka Chaka has since made the most out of her Ambassadorship, going above and beyond to educate both herself and the rest of the world about the realities in Africa. The Motherland Tour – A Journey of African Women documents this commitment, which has brought her on a five-year journey from villages in Western, Eastern and Southern Africa to the halls of the United Nations in New York.

The documentary is based around several profiles of extraordinary women and girls, many who have met adversity with action. We meet Hupa, a mother in Zambia who lost a son to malaria and has since spent her time educating her surrounding community on using mosquito nets to prevent mosquitoes biting at night. There is also a wonderful profile of Chieftainess Budyango from the proudly matriarchal Topoleya tripe in Zambia. At the age of 42 she decided to go back to high school, to encourage other girls in her village to complete their education.

All throughout the film, we see Yvonne interacting with these inspiring human interest stories: African women from diverse backgrounds discussing how to improve their collective future for women and for their communities. It is a compelling record of one woman’s commitment but also telling proof of the numerous success stories in Africa.  

The film culminates with a concert back home in South Africa, the end of the “Motherland Tour,” celebrating her 25 years in the music industry. Amazingly, her singing career hasn't stopped - she is working on her 22nd album, adding to her numerous platinum and gold records.

Yet despite the inspiring stories, the Motherland Tour is a call to action, for despite these successes at community-level, a desperate lack of international funding is still needed to expand the access and affordability of essential drugs and services.  More than a simple documentary, this film serves as a message for world leaders. Yvonne will continue to knock on doors – both in the world’s capitals and in villages throughout Africa – to ensure that funding is made available.

The Motherland Tour will be available soon on DVD. Meanwhile, stay tuned for future screenings and events on Yvonne’s website.