Uganda's Ghetto Kids to shake it with Shakira at World Cup final

"We were huge Shakira fans," says Ssegirinya Madwanah, better known as King, a member of the Ghetto Kids dance troupe.

"Our manager always told us, 'Keep at it, maybe one day she'll notice you.' And that day came."

In May, Shakira saw a video of the Ghetto Kids performing to Dai Dai, the official theme song to the 2026 World Cup that she recorded with Nigerian singer Burna Boy, and invited them to perform with her in the halftime show of the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July.

The dancers were ecstatic. "We jumped around all over the place. Everyone was smiling. We couldn't believe it. We danced all night," King recalls.

Ronnie Ssentongo, a former Ghetto Kids dancer who now manages the group's social media, says the invitation came as a total surprise. "We weren't expecting a reaction like this. We're excited to see where this opportunity takes us."

'Life-changing opportunity'

The Ghetto Kids have already performed at the Confederation of African Football Awards in Morocco, appeared on the TV show Britain's Got Talent and taken part in several events at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

But this opportunity is on a completely different scale. "It's much bigger than anything we've done before," says Ssentongo.

Before they were racking up millions of views on social media, Ghetto Kids were dancing on the streets of Katwe, a township in Kampala. Created in 2013, the group now has around 60 members – some orphans, others from families living in poverty, and a few who grew up on the streets.

"I lived with my mother and stepfather," King says. "He often came home late at night after drinking. You know how people can behave in those situations."

He began dancing in the streets of Kampala for money as a child. He then joined his first group, sometimes performing in the middle of the night. "We sometimes waited until four or five in the morning to go on stage. Then we walked for several hours to get home because we didn't have the money for transport," he recalls.

His life changed when he auditioned for the Ghetto Kids in 2017.

Uganda's Ghetto Kids journey from slums to stardom Members of the Ugandan dance group the Ghetto Kids at school in Kampala, 20 April 2023.

"What unites us is love," says Ssentongo. "If you saw us today, you wouldn't guess that we all come from different backgrounds. We're a family. We eat together, we take care of each other."

Dance is both a means of expression and a source of income. Their shows help fund school fees, clothing, medical care and daily expenses.

For Ssentongo, Shakira's invitation could have far greater consequences than simply performing in front of millions of viewers: "It's a life-changing opportunity. It's thanks to events like these that we can fund school fees, healthcare, clothing and everything else the children need."

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The group's trip to the US could yet be threatened by the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, which is raising concerns about potential travel restrictions.

The Ghetto Kids are following the situation closely. "We're a little scared," King admits. "But we believe everything will go as planned and we'll be there, no matter what."

He says his journey with the group so far has given him reason to hope. "I didn't know I would be joining the Ghetto Kids. I also didn't know that one day I would be alongside Shakira.

"This proves that anything is possible."

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