Brass for Africa Expands into Rwanda – Introducing Its Signature Music Education Program to More Youth Across Africa

Kigali, February 7, 2019 – Brass for Africa today announced a new partnership with the Root Foundation Rwanda to expand its signature music and life-skills education training program into Rwanda. The partnership will see Brass for Africa delivering music education, life-skills training, oversite, monitoring and evaluation to children at the Roots Foundation headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda.

Brass for Africa uses music as a tool to empower and transform the lives of more than 1,000 extremely disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Liberia and now Rwanda every week. Working with local organizations, Brass for Africa provides weekly brass music education with integrated life-skills training alongside performance opportunities to young people from orphanages, slum communities, street child centers and rehabilitation centers.

“Our focus is to build better futures for disadvantaged youth in Africa by helping them gain essential and transferable life-skills such as leadership experience and self-confidence through music education. We also strive to promote a creative outlet in which young people can express themselves through music and have the opportunity to become part of a community that cares,” said Jim Trott, Founder and Executive Director of Brass for Africa. “Rwanda, a place that has reinvented itself and is building the next generation of leaders, is a natural next step for us as we work to expand our programs supporting children across Africa.”

“Music is known to ignite child development on many levels, and helps with academic rigor and focus,” said Patrick Kiruhura, Co-Founder and Legal Representative of Root Foundation. “The Root Foundation is helping vulnerable children become self-confident community members, and by partnering with Brass for Africa we’re further empowering our students by improving their ability to learn, growing their self-esteem and preparing them for brighter futures.”

A Brass for Africa teacher, from their training center in neighboring Uganda, will be based in Rwanda providing brass music lessons with integrated life-skills training to an initial group of 60 children at the Roots Foundation Headquarters in Kigali.

Brass for Africa has already carried out a baseline survey of the children prior to starting the program so that they can measure attainment, achievement and personal growth of participants as the program develops. Brass for Africa actively measures eight transferable skills and attributes associated with learning music, these are: self-confidence, leadership skills, teamwork skills, grit and perseverance, resilience, communication skills, concentration skills and problem solving.

The Root Foundation’s vision is to create a world where all vulnerable children fulfill their potential and grow up to become valuable community members. This vision is aligned with Brass for Africa’s and the two organizations believe that together they can offer an effective and empowering program leading to tangible benefits and a brighter future for vulnerable and disadvantaged youth in Rwanda.

For more information, please visit: http://www.brassforafrica.org/.

About Brass for Africa

Brass for Africa’s mission is to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Africa through music education and life-skills training. Founded in 2009, Brass for Africa uses music as a tool to empower and transform the lives of more than 1,000 extremely disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Liberia and now Rwanda every week. Working with local organizations, Brass for Africa provides weekly brass music education with integrated life-skills training alongside performance opportunities to young people from orphanages, slum communities, Street Child Centres and Rehabilitation Centres. The charity also provides employment opportunities and training for more than 40 African staff, who help lead the charity’s efforts on the ground. To learn visit: http://www.brassforafrica.org or follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/brassforafrica

About the Root Foundation

The Root Foundation’s vision is to create a world where all vulnerable children fulfil their potential and grow up to become valuable community members. Based in Kigali, Rwanda, Root Foundation’s aim is to tackle root causes of children living on the streets through providing personal development education to street children, providing school scholarships and empowering the mothers of vulnerable families.

To learn visit: https://www.rootfoundation-rwanda.org

Contact

For media inquiries: Laura Brusca, US Board Member, laura@brassforafrica.org

For partnership inquiries: info@brassforafrica.org