2013 GOALS12PROGRAMS750STUDENTS163JOBS CREATEDcontribute

Ntonga Music School

Gugulethu, South Africa

In the spring of 2009, the Playing For Change Foundation opened its first music school in Gugulethu, South Africa, a township ten miles (16 km) outside of Cape Town. Like many of the townships formed during the government-imposed Apartheid that lasted from 1948 to 1994, Gugulethu is a community in need of assistance and inspiration. South Africans are still striving to repair the damage and injustice created during Apartheid, and the Ntonga Music School is setting a strong example of how the country can come together to create a brighter future for its people. Today the people of Gugulethu are full of life and spirit, but have many obstacles to overcome. With drugs, crime, poverty, and disease prevalent in the township, the Ntonga Music School offers hope and possibility for the community and its youth.

In addition to building the school, the Playing For Change Foundation provides musical instruments, educational materials, and other necessities this center of compassion and creativity requires. The school is lead by a dedicated staff of music instructors and trained personnel who understand the unique challenges their students face. In addition to classrooms and rehearsal space, the school also serves as a community center where guest musicians from Cape Town and beyond come to perform for the students and community.

The Ntonga School is striving to empower the people of Gugulethu by creating positive opportunities for their community, as well as foster a greater connection to the rest of the world through the sharing of their music. The school is working to connect South Africans beyond the boundaries of Gugulethu; it is a source of pride and inspiration not only for the township, but also for the country.

Click here to view photos of Ntonga Music School on Flickr

 

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

$15

Djembe repair

Allows local craftsmen to replace the head of a djembe (hand drum)

Give this item


$150

Teacher salary

Provides one month’s teacher salary

Give this item


See all

FEATURED STUDENT

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.

NEWS

Jan 31, 2011

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!)

Read More See all News

LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY

Most residents of Guguletu work as laborers either in the Township itself or in nearby Cape Town. The youth of Guguletu wake around 7 AM, eating cereal and bread to fill their stomach. Most of them have between 3 and 5 siblings and attend local school-- some walk, others take a mini-bus. School ends by 3PM, at which point many students go straight to Ntonga to pursue their passion: music.

Under Construction, Coming Soon!

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

… more

  • Pokie Klaas

    Pokie took up the double bass in his twenties after suffering a knee injury in soccer. Since then Pokie has played in several bands throughout Cape Town, and today he is proud to share his musical skills on the double bass and electric bass with eager students of his community.

  • Sakhiwo Noboza

    Sakhiwo has been playing the trumpet and singing for two decades. Over the course of his career he trained at the University of Cape Town and performed in many bands. Sakhiwo believes passionately in the importance of mentoring the younger generation, and music’s role in education.

  • Elijah Gxenya

    Elijah Genija has played guitar for decades. He spent his early years as a self-taught musician, not beginning formal guitar training until his mid thirties. He went on to study music at the University of Cape Town and currently performs with a number of ensembles in the city.

  • Dave Robain

    Dave Robain has been teaching and performing for the past two decades in Cape Town and abroad as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. As a performer around Cape Town and teacher at Ntonga Music School, Dave inspires youth with his humor, passion, and talent in music.

  • Sticks Mrwebi

    Stix is a resident of Guguletu Township and offers musical instruction in percussion. He was raised in a musical family, and began training at a young age. In addition to teaching, he performs in Cape Town and beyond, continuing to refine his sound and style.