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'Embalasasa': Healing Scars of Child Soldiers, HIV Acclaimed Ugandan-born singer and instrumentalist Samite talks about how Africa's child soldiers inspired much of his latest CD, Embalasasa, and about his broader mission to help young African victims of war and those infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

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'Embalasasa': Healing Scars of Child Soldiers, HIV

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Derek Rath

'Embalasasa': Healing Scars of Child Soldiers, HIV

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Samite plays the thumb piano for an audience at the State Theatre in Ithaca, N.Y. Liesl Henrichsen/Samite.com hide caption

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Liesl Henrichsen/Samite.com

From 'Embalasasa'

Hear full-length cuts from Samite's latest CD:

'Embalasasa'

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'Nawe Okiwulira'

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'Olugendo'

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African children who have been forced to kill as soldiers are not a lost generation, according to Ugandan musician Samite. The acclaimed singer and instrumentalist talks about how Africa's child soldiers inspired much of his latest CD, Embalasasa, and about his broader mission to help young African victims of war.

Samite was born and raised in Uganda, where his grandfather taught him to play the traditional flute. In 1982 he fled to Kenya as a political refugee and continued his musical instruction. He now entertains audiences worldwide with vocals in his mother tongue, Luganda, and original compositions played on kalimba (finger piano), marimba (wooden xylophone), litungu (a seven-stringed Kenyan instrument) and traditional and Western flutes.