Newspaper cutting - advertisement for Let's Make Africa Green Again by The British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal Team

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From BRAFA Pillar (in BRAFA Square)

BRAFA SQUARE


BRAFA: the public square

BRAFA Square is named in recognition of The British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal Team (BRAFA); an inspirational part of Hackney’s rich African and Caribbean history.
During the mid-1980s BRAFA raised thousands of pounds for Ethiopian famine relief by recording a charity song Let’s Make Africa Green Again, and holding a benefit concert in Shoreditch Park.
BRAFA was registered at co-organiser Gene Rondo’s home address, which was close to this public square. After research carried out by Hackney Archives and local people, the public voted for it to be called ‘BRAFA Square’ and it opened in 2021.


The back story

In the 1980s, Ethiopia was devastated by famine. Musicians led global fundraising activities, such as Band Aid and Live Aid, to raise money for famine relief.
Hackney reggae artists Leon Leiffer and Gene Rondo came together in January 1985 to form The British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal Team (BRAFA) with fellow musicians including Courtney Carr, Raymond Dangarembizi, Ras Elroy Bailey, Jah Bunny, Tony Douglas, Ken Kendricks and Fay Addison.

Frustrated by the lack of African and Caribbean heritage artists on the Band Aid charity song recorded in November 1984, BRAFA decided to release its own charity record.


BRAFA: the charity record

On 24 February 1985 over 200 singers, musicians, local residents, and school children joined the BRAFA team at Hive Studio in Stoke Newington to record the charity song Let's Make Africa Green Again. The recording session featured many leading reggae artists including Aswad, Dennis Brown, Janet Kay and Trevor Walters.
Released by Island Records in April 1985, all profits from the record went to the charity Save the Children Fund for long-term development projects in famine-affected areas of Africa.


“People are starving
There must be something we can do ...

Let us give what we have
And just that little bit more
To make it a rich and fertile land
One love is our goal
Let's make Africa green again
We can do it if we try
Rain food for Africa”

Lyrics by Leon Leiffer, Tony Douglas, Gene Rondo and Fay Addison.


The benefit concert

Following the Let’s Make Africa Green Again charity record, BRAFA organised a benefit concert, Hackney’s answer to Live Aid.
BRAFA’s hugely successful benefit concert was held in Shoreditch Park on Bank Holiday Monday, 26 May 1986. Over 10,000 people watched top reggae and soul performers, including many of those featured on the BRAFA charity record.
BRAFA raised thousands of pounds for Save the Children Fund’s Ethiopian famine appeal.


“The crowd was excellent but with the amount of people who did turn up it should have been held in a place like Wembley Stadium.”
Gene Rondo on the BRAFA benefit concert, Hackney Gazette, 30 May 1986