First Week at Ntonga Music School

by Amelia Romano

My return to the Ntonga Music School has marked a week of opportunities, musical moments and challenging moments. As most remember, I studied at the University of Cape Town last spring volunteering at the Ntonga Music School every Sunday morning. This experience inspired my thesis in which I researched the Legacy of Apartheid in South Africa, with a focus on the Cape Flats, (the region where this school is located).

Amelia’s Blog, Week Three: Progress and Potential

The last two weeks have been hectic, hard but happening. In the second week I began defining key challenges at the school. The school currently has two main and accountable teachers and Pokie the visionary and director at the school. With the help of Titi, a Playing for Change Band member, and resident of Guguletu, I connected with local musicians and began to envision the potential at the school…

Coming Soon…

We will have a special student from this program featured here. Check back to see who it will be, and hear their story.

Under Construction, Coming Soon!

by Coming Soon

Check back soon for updates about the exciting classes taking place in this program.

Man in the Mirror

by Amelia Romano

The life skills course opened this Saturday with two questions: “What does life skills mean to you and what knowledge do you seek from this course?”

Opportunity to Interact with the Students of Ntonga

by Jeremy Goulder

We are excited to announce that for the first time ever, Playing For Change Family members around the globe will have the opportunity to connect and interact with one of the Playing For Change Foundation’s schools!

A Better World in South Africa

by Ntonga Music School

The Playing For Change Band’s percussionist Mohammed Alidu, and the band’s tour manager Erika Duffee, paid a visit to the Ntonga Music School during their stay in Cape Town, South Africa, in December 2010.  Despite school being on hiatus for summer break, three dedicated students from the Ntonga student ensemble, Yonelisa Wambi, Prince Mafu and Enkosinati, came to Ntonga to meet Erika and Alidu.  Alidu shared his musical journey with the students. Originally from the remote village of Tamale, in Northern Ghana, he now tours the world with the Playing for Change Band, and is the program founder of a Playing For Change Music School, the Bizung School of Music and Dance in Tamale, Ghana.  His journey is a source of inspiration to Ntonga students. It is one of dedication, perseverance, and patience.  After sharing his story, Alidu invited Yonelisa to play guitar and soon joined him on his talking drum.  This musical interaction revealed the power music has to connect humanity. Kids from the surrounding community soon joined the musical moment, forming a circle around the musicians.  As Alidu and Erika reminded the students, music is a powerful tool: it has the power to communicate without words. Erika and Alidu’s visit encouraged and reminded Ntonga students that success in any career is a combination of talent and luck.

“A Better World” original song by Yonelisa Wambi, Ntonga Music School student. Featuring Mohammed Alidu of the Playing For Change Band on the talking drum.

(Thanks to Amelia Romano for documenting and taking video!)