Re-Generation Music Centre – Using music to heal people when words fail

Based at our Learning Centre, the music centre was founded in 2009 by two dedicated English volunteer musicians. Offering group and individual music lessons, it also has a choir and band. Music can reach and heal people where words fail, and enables young people to learn new skills and discover their musical talents.

Rwanda was a poor and under-developed country even before the 1994 genocide that left an estimated one million people dead.  The legacy of the genocide still has an enormous impact on the population as they rebuild their country.  Of those who survived, 97% witnessed the violence, and trauma has hampered productivity at work and school.

More than 400,000 children were orphaned by the genocide. Many were left looking after each other in child-headed households, sacrificing their own education in order to bring up the younger ones at home.  As a consequence, thousands missed out on school, and can barely read or write.

In 2009 the Rwanda Multi Learning Centre, Network for Africa’s English literacy and computer training school, opened the ReGeneration Music Centre.  It was founded by two talented volunteers, Amy Stead and David Wald, who are both trained musicians and teachers.. The Centre offers group and individual music lessons, including guitar, piano and singing.  It also has a choir and band, with students of all ages drawing on Rwandese, African and Western music traditions.  There are music theory, aural awareness and song writing classes to complement the practical training offered.

The ReGeneration Music Centre intends to build relationships within the wider community in Kigali and beyond by offering music outreach classes, concerts and workshops.  One of the centre’s longer-term aims is to train Rwanda’s future music teachers, and are currently training a talented, local musician to take over the teaching at the Centre. More than 70 Learning Centre students have taken music lessons, and some keen students have formed a choir.

Music can reach and heal people when words fail, and our eventual aim is to provide basic music therapy to aid in trauma counselling and recovery.  It is an effective way to encourage young people to learn new skills and interact with each other, whilst instilling confidence and discovering new talent.

Please help the ReGeneration Music Centre reach its full potential by donating.

If you are able to give instruments to the ReGeneration Music Centre please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please help the ReGeneration Music Centre reach its full potential by donating.