Love turned my life around
The only thing about the street child in Sam Lucas Lubyogo – known by this stage name, Levixone – is his stylish ripped jeans. Ten years ago, the gospel artiste, 23, was living with a large family of 10 siblings in Kosovo, Lungujja. While his mother loved him, his father was a harsh man.
“When I wronged him, his punishments were severe. He often told my mother to return me to my home. I did not understand what he meant, but it got to a point where I could not take it anymore.”
That point came when his mother sent him to fetch water at the communal tap.
On the way, the 13-year-old, Primary Four pupil, joined a football game and soon forgot about time.
“At 8pm, I fetched the water and walked back home. My sister met me outside and said our father was going to kill me. I was frightened and decided to run away.”
Life on the streets
“I slept under a pool table, outside a shop. In the morning, the owner instructed me to manage the table. There was no salary but I paid myself through gambling with the players. I slept under the table every night.”
Whenever it rained, Levixone slept at a friend’s home – Trinity – whose parents were not happy with their friendship.
“My mother used to send people to convince me to return home. Sometimes, she would bring me food.”
After a few months, the boy began selling muchomo (smoked meat), drinking water and sweets. He also joined a street gang.
“One day, we were so hungry and yet, nearby, a woman was preparing katogo of matooke and groundnuts. I monitored her movements and when she entered her house, I run off with the hot saucepan. That was the first meal I stole.”
The gang targeted music concerts where they stole mobile phones and bags. Levixone was also a star boxer and people placed bets on him during matches.
“My mother once entered the ring and stopped a fight, telling the organisers she was taking me home. I refused to go with her.”
Street life was tough, though, especially when mobs killed gang members. Also, older gang members forced the younger boys to sell marijuana.
“Besides selling, I tried smoking marijuana and sniffing petrol but they were not my thing.”
Saved by a football game
As an average football player, Treasured Kids Primary School hired Levixone to play for them in a tournament. He scored two goals, capturing the attention of Irish volunteers from Fields of Life, an Non-Governmental Organisation.
“Coach Kigere told them about my street life, and one of them, Neil Fox offered to return me to school. I was 14 and enrolled in Primary Four. The teachers loved me and when I joined the nearby Word of Life Church, Pastor Deo Mwanjje and church members gave me clothes. I had never been loved like that before.”
Joining the music industry
A hungry boy, who was trying to discover his passion in life, Levixone attended a gospel show in Kifudu, Mengo.
“I wanted to make money to buy a meal. At first, the DJ laughed at my request but I composed a cappella for him. However, once he let me onto the stage I forgot the song and quickly composed another one. People gave me money.”
One of the musicians, Chrystal Fabulous, offered Lubyogo accommodation in his studio in Kosovo.
“He, together with another musician Mark Elvis, was good to me. At 14, I recorded my first album, Usinipite, with Trinity, and joined the church choir.”
Living a clean life
His mentor, Chrystal Fabulous always read to Levixone the Bible and preached to him.
“I fell in love with Christ. For me, salvation is a journey that helped me reunite with my mother.”
In 2012, Levixone discovered that the man he called his father had not fathered him. “My mother was gang raped as she was grazing cattle.
She could not know who my father was.
She was married off when she was already pregnant, and at some point was under pressure to abort.
It was a new pain I had to deal with but God is my father, and He eased the pain.”
Levixone used the money from his first concert to buy clothes for street children in Kivulu under his organisation, 92 Hands.
“In 2014, we fed 100 families in Kosovo on Christmas Day and gave the children scholastic materials. In 2015, we fed 214 families and this year we are targeting 400.”
His songs
1. Passport
2. Noonya omu
3. Niwewe
4. Kangende Noono
5. Hope
6. Edoboozi
7. Mukutu
8. Ani
9. Shuga
10. Jungle