A CHARITY is taking a musical approach to supporting women’s rights, by funding a rap music video for a Newport duo to spread a message close to their hearts.

The two 18-year-olds - Issaac, aka ‘Truth’ and Evan, aka ‘Vision’ - used grants provided by Plan International UK to write and perform a rap music video about empowering the young women and girls in their lives.

The rap spreads the word of the greater cause: helping young girls and women make Wales a more equal country by enabling them to challenge gender inequality in their own communities.

The rap project is one of many which have been made possible by The Moondance Foundation, which has given £1.3 million to Plan International UK’s Champions of Wales programme Young Changemaker grants, which provides funding to young people to run a project of their choice.

The Moondance Foundation was founded by Diane Briere de l’Isle Engelhardt and Henry Engelhardt, the founder of Admiral Group plc, and has made £100 million in donations to charities since it was established in 2010.

The Champions of Wales programme has helped more than 45,000 young people across Wales with the aim of building skills and confidence, sharing information and experiences, and supporting them to launch their own projects aimed at empowering girls.

Champions of Wales is a programme from Plan International UK, a global children’s charity, and was launched in 2018 with a series of initiatives, including a micro-grant scheme, Young Changemakers, for young people to get their own projects up and running.

Lizzy Fauvel, Champions of Wales project coordinator, said: “The aim of Young Changemakers was to train and mentor young people to run projects in their community that support or raise awareness of girls’ rights.

“What makes us different is that we give money – from £1,000 to £2,000 – directly to young people, not organisations, to support and equip them with the skills and confidence they need to ensure their voices are heard. Young Changemakers become agents of social change in their local communities and take action to make sure their rights are realised.”

“We made sure that we didn’t just fund our usual suspects, those young people who perhaps are already engaged.

"We funded young people from disadvantaged communities, different cultures, different lived experiences - because we want to see change from all corners of society. Young people hold the solutions to the issues they face. Organisations like ours are there to support them as much as they need.”

Anne-Marie Lawrence, Wales development manager for Plan International UK, said: “We want Plan International UK to be the go-to organisation for girls' rights in Wales, and we want to make Wales a safer and more equal Wales.”

The Moondance Foundation’s mission is to prevent or relieve poverty, support the welfare and well-being of women, children, the elderly and vulnerable in our society, improve health outcomes, raise educational standards, and preserve our environment for future generations."