October 2009 Newsletter

THE POWER OF MUSIC

Dear friend, Music has the power to reach people when words fail. Thanks to two remarkable volunteer music teachers, Rwanda now has its first ever music school.

Amy Stead and David Wald from the UK have started the ReGeneration Music School in the Network for Africa Learning Centre with our Rwandan partners, Solace, in Kigali. The purpose is twofold: to offer music therapy to traumatised orphans who survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and to teach music to talented young Rwandans who wish to become professional musicians.

Our aim is to establish a sustainable business model for the school, eventually attracting enough paying students to cross-subsidise the genocide orphans who cannot pay. David and Amy are working with local Rwandan musicians who will take over from them when they return to the UK.

Daytime music classes at the LC

Amy and David teach group and individual music classes each afternoon, once our English lessons finish. The group lessons include musicianship, aural awareness and music Theory. Then individuals or groups of 2-3 learn the guitar, piano, singing and the saxophone.

Learning Centre Choir

• The ReGeneration choir meets twice a week. Our singers have performed twice so far, at the opening ceremony of the ReGeneration Music Centre and at genocide site in Nyamata. Both events boosted the choir’s confidence and passion for music and singing.
• The choir learns different music genres, incorporating traditional Kinyarwanda songs.
• One student, a young genocide survivor who is extremely vocally gifted, suffered profound trauma in her youth. She told us that singing is her form of counselling and that she is benefiting immensely from the group interaction. Amy is planning to include some basic song writing into this session, as the girls work extremely well together.

Women’s Empowerment

• The choir is in the process of  electing several young women as leaders. They will speak on behalf of the music school when they perform at functions and concerts.
• Amy is also encouraging genocide widows at Solace Ministries to write poems about their experiences. The poems  will be put to music written by our students. Several widows say they find poetry therapeutic and they intend to make it an important part of their lives.

Our Centre continues to grow and be a source of education and training, emotional support and fun for the students and Solace widows and orphans.

For more information on the ReGeneration Music School please click here.

Our partner, Solace, has a well-established choir which has recently recorded and released its first album – ‘Sounds of Solace,’ featuring 11 uplifting and moving tunes. Recorded and produced by Rafiki Records, a new ethical record company supporting traditional music and art from Rwanda and Burundi, Songs of Solace is available to buy now on iTunes and www.rafikirecords.com.

We rely 100% on donations to continue our work. If you are able to donate money or instruments to the ReGeneration Music Centre please email Sophie at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit our donations page.

Thank you so much for making this possible.

Becky and Sophie

PS watch this space for video clips of the choir performing….