Aussie rockers raise funds for Gawad Kalinga

ROCKIN’ FOR GK. Bonney Read members (top row, fourth to seventh from left) Jeremy Goldfinch, Jess Cooper, Astrid Holz and Kat Ayala bring joy to Gawad Kalinga communities as part of their nine-gig “Philippines Humanitour.” MATSU/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Sydney-based band Bonney Read is in the country on a “Humanitour” that seeks to inspire and raise funds for low-income communities through its unique brand of hard-rocking music.

The four-piece band composed of Jess Cooper, Kat Ayala, Astrid Holz and Jeremy Goldfinch, however, ended up gaining much more than what they had shared, thanks to their life-changing encounter with communities supported by the antipoverty movement, Gawad Kalinga (GK), and its partner in education, Joomajam.

The Bonney Read members spent March 6 at GK Telus in Quezon City, where it conducted a short music workshop with Sibol preschool kids assisted by Joomajam and GK Sitio Pajo.

“Our short trip to the GK communities gave us a better understanding of what we could do to help and what impact that would make on the communities and their members. We realized how easy it is to make a huge difference. For example, it costs AUD$75 to feed a child for one year. Even just visiting the communities brings hope, because it shows the members that people still care,” the group said in a statement.

“It also confirmed that we are making an important contribution by being here, working with the communities and even more so by sharing the GK and Joomajam story with the world through the documentary that we’re making of the tour,” it added.

The band’s nine-gig “Philippine Humanitour” began March 5 and will end March 21.

The musicians, who described their band as something “born out of the teeth, nails and tears of high school cheerleaders, band geeks and choir girls,” believe it should be about more than just making quality and authentic music, but also about achieving a higher objective, such as contributing to poverty alleviation.

Ayala, a Filipino who migrated with her family to Australia in her teens, said the group chose to work with GK and Joomajam because of their admiration for what these nongovernment organizations have already done in the Philippines.

GK is dedicated to helping the poor build sustainable communities while Joomajam provides creative learning materials and trains teachers at GK community preschools.

As its contribution, Bonney Read lined up fundraising gigs in some of Metro Manila’s most popular bars with local bands. It kicked off the campaign on Mar. 5 at The 70s Bistro, where it performed with The ButcherCons and Top Junk. It then went to Saguijo in Makati City and Route 196 in Quezon City before flying to the Ayala family’s home province of Davao.

The band is scheduled to perform at Taboan and Sa’Less Diner and Moozika in Davao on Mar. 18 and 20 before concluding its tour on Mar. 21 at Route 196 where it will perform with the Blue Jean Junkies and Reklamo.

Bonney Read also released a new single called “Days Gone By,” with the proceeds going to Joomajam’s education program at GK Sibol schools. The band brought along a film crew to record the entire adventure and later release a documentary and music video that will be used to help raise awareness of GK and Joomajam’s “amazing” work.

“It is our aim to compel more people to participate in this movement of positive change by doing what we do best—rocking your faces off,” the band said. “We can’t tell you how good it feels to be doing what we love for a purpose greater than ourselves.”