PLAYING FOR CHANGE FOUNDATION

Music: the heartbeat of social change

Playing For Change Foundation believes music and culture serve as the most powerful resource to bring communities together and solve the world’s greatest challenges.

Founded in 2007, PFCF was established to create positive change through music and arts education. Our work engages marginalized youth in diverse communities around the world, primarily located in low and lower-middle income countries. These communities are home to great cultural wealth, which we use to create educational and social opportunities.   

Local Leadership
Social Impact
Transparency

Our Model is simple

Listen to the Community

Create cross-sectional opportunities through music and arts. Identify challenges affecting our locations. Position our local leaders with the resources they need to drive sustainable and lasting change.

Define new normals.
Define new futures.

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The team

Our team spans over 20 different countries and includes teachers and admins on the ground, staff and board members in the USA and around the world.

MEET THE TEAM

Our programs are organized to combat systematic social and economic disparity. Across many communities, our programming serves as the only access point to cultural and creative educational activities. We identify strong local leaders and empower them with the resources and strategies to drive positive change in their communities.

Music brings joy to children and allows them to express themselves creatively and emotionally, fostering empathy, cultural understanding, and emotional intelligence—ultimately helping to build a more compassionate and harmonious world.

 

See our latest impact report
See our Impact page

The diversity of challenges and the solutions brought forward reflect the diversity of the communities we serve across 5 continents. Here are a few snapshots of our impact globally:

In Jordan, Syrian refugee youth in the Zaatari Refugee Camp suffer trauma from war and displacement from their homes. Our program allows healing through music and our music studio provides a vital outlet for creative expression.

In Brazil, our team rapidly mobilized emergency relief efforts after the deadly floods in 2024 that displaced over 1,000,000 people. We procured more than $3,500,000 in donations and health supplies that reached 250,000 of the most vulnerable victims of the flood.

In Nepal, brick by brick we helped build a school that ensures girls have equal access to education and fights caste discrimination within classrooms. Our school has a 100% graduation rate, the only school in the Udayapur region to boast this success.

Stories like these can be found at each of our programs around the world. Please visit the Programs page to dive deeper on each location, and visit the Impact page for more stories of positive change.

OUR PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS

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HOW IT ALL STARTED…


The idea of Playing for Change began two decades ago, as Grammy-winning music producer and engineer Mark Johnson decided to “take the studio to the streets” and started the production of a global version of the song Stand By Me, using a mobile recording studio and a simple camera set up. Mark received the support of producer and philanthropist Whitney Kroenke and together they founded the Playing For Change movement in order to connect, inspire and change the world through music.

In November 2008,  the video of Stand By Me around the world was posted on Youtube and went viral in a just few days. In 2009, the second PFC documentary, Peace Through Music, was premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Since then Playing For Change has produced hundreds of music videos and inspired millions of people around the world through the power of music.  The Playing For Change Band, a tangible, traveling representation of our mission, featuring musicians from different continents, has been playing over 400 concerts in more than 25 countries over the last decade.

Playing for Change has reached 2 Billion views on Youtube, covering classic songs and creating original songs, featuring world class artists and shining a light on talented unknown musicians.

Here are some of the artist that have been performing on Playing For Change videos: Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Bono, Manu Chao, Jack Johnson, Tom Morello, Sara Bareilles, Robbie Robertson, Cats Stevens,  Ben Harper,Toots Hibbert, Stephen Marley, Bunny Wailer, Buddy Guy, Keb’ Mo’, Ernest Ranglin, David Crosby, Dr. John, Lila Downs, Toto la Momposina, Manuel Galbán, The Doobie Brothers, Toumani Diabaté, Tinariwen, Warren Haynes, James Gadson, John Densmore among many more…

OUR PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD

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GIVE BY CHECK OR WIRE

You can mail your checks at:

Playing For Change Foundation,

171 Pier Avenue, #271
Santa Monica, CA 90405 – USA

If you wish to give via Wire transfer, give stock or assets please email us at contact@playingforchange.org

The Bizung School of Music and Dance in northern Ghana takes the ancestral tradition of the Bizung “talking drum” to engage youth with cultural and music activities, which are otherwise not readily accessible in the urban community of Tamale. Programming includes traditional music, dance, as well as modern blues music and even an in-house studio for youth to record and learn new technological skills. The Bizung School reaches 90 youth per week.

Highlight: Promoting Identity – Performing traditional Bizung music for the tribal king as recently as PFC Day 2019.

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Programa Musical Bogando in Quibdó, in the Choco region of Colombia, on the Western side of the country and is the result of a partnership between Fundación Piés Descalzos and Playing For Change Foundation aiming at harnessing the power of music as a catalyst for integral growth and positive change in the community.

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In 2022,Playing For Change Foundation initiated a partnership with La Escuelita del Ritmo, a music school located in Portobelo, on the Caribbean coast of Panama and dedicated to using music as a tool for inclusion and social change. La Escuelita, created 12 years ago by music lover and philanthropist Gladys Palmera, transmits and preserves an intangible Afro-Caribbean cultural heritage.

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Wicahpi Olowan Music Program Located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, USA, this dynamic music program creates new opportunities through music for Oglala Lakota youth in the region. Collaborating with local organization First Peoples Fund, PFCF has helped establish the Wicahpi Olowan (WO) music studio at the Oglala Lakota Artspace (OLA), which has already produced new music from local youth and musicians.

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L’Ecole de Musique de Kirina in the rural community of Kirina in southern Mali was founded to use cultural heritage to change the lives of local youth. Many youth engage in the dangerous and even fatal practice of gold mining, and the high school graduation rates as well are very poor. Traditional music, dance, language lessons, and even gardening are offered at the program. It is the only cultural and youth organization in Kirina. L’Ecole reaches up to 100 youth per week.

Highlight: Gender Development – Weekly dance class with up to 100 girls. These activities for girls would otherwise not exist.

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The Joudour Sahara Music Program in the small town of M’hamid el Ghizlane in southeastern Morocco serves as the only access point locally for youth to express themselves creatively. Joudour Sahara focuses on traditional music and dance from several diverse ethnic tribal groups who settled in the oasis of M’hamid from different corners of the Sahara desert centuries ago. The program also engages youth through blues music, dance, and community events. Joudour Sahara reaches 90 youth per week.

Highlight: Cultural Preservation – Preserving five ancestral distinct tribal music heritages, with previous support from the U.S. Embassy in Rabat through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

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The Ubuntu Music Program in the capital of Kigali and the community of Masaka targets at-risk youth risk inside two elementary and high schools. Traditional drumming, dance and modern blues music, as well as sports are offered to students. Cultural activities for youth from the communities where the Ubuntu Music Program operates are not otherwise accessible. “Ubuntu” itself means “humanity towards others,” and the Ubuntu philosophy can be summed up as “I am because we are”. This program reaches 150 youth per week.

Highlight: Promoting Social Development and Youth Engagement – Providing otherwise inaccessible cultural and sports activities to youth.

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The Imvula Music Program in the Gugulethu and townships surrounding Cape Town operates inside 10 elementary and high schools in some of the poorest communities in the Cape Town region. African styles of music and modern blues music are offered to local students. In the face of extreme inequality, the Imvula program ensures that youth from the most marginalized communities have access to express themselves creatively. Cultural activities would otherwise not be available to them. The Imvula program reaches 300 youth per week.

Highlight: Social Development – Fighting despondency and instilling hope in youth from impoverished neighborhoods.

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The Mirpur Music Program , located in the Mirpur slums within the larger municipality of Dhaka, offers free music programming to the poorest youth. Some locals live on as little as $50 / month. Poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition are devastating locally. Albeit a small team locally, this program provides regular programming to over 900 youth across several elementary schools locally. Musicalization, rhythm exercises, and traditional songs are offered.

Highlight: Youth Engagement – Without the Mirpur program, these youth would not have access to music and dance activities.

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The Cajuru Music Program in Cajuru, Brazil drives youth development and social cohesion in the suburb of the larger urban center of Curitiba, just a few miles away. The program’s leaders use music as a tool for education to reach local youth, instilling self-confidence, providing structured and supervised activities, and promoting a larger sense of community. The program reaches 60 youth per week.

Highlight: Youth Engagement – In a high-density community, the Khlong Toey program is the only local program that offers free music lessons to children from the poorest households.

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The PFC Patagonia: Cinco Saltos began as an artistic and cultural alternative to help counterbalance social issues among youth. Since 2018 over 70 students are attending the program where they’re given an opportunity to learn guitar, percussion, vocals and participate in regular audio recording and Hip Hop workshops.

Highlight: The program is operating in 2 locations in Cinco Saltos where cultural opportunities for youth are lacking.

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The PFC Patagonia: Paso Córdoba – Neuquén is located on the south bank of the Río Negro in a protected natural area. This school was built entirely with local and natural materials and is owned and managed by our partners at Aldhyana Foundation, created by Jorge Amaolo, co-founder of this program. 

Highlight: Highlight: Promoting Identity and Skills Learning – PFC Patagonia collaborates with the indigenous Mapuche community, teaching music and digital literacy, and technical digital skills.

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The PFC Diamante program located in the city of Diamante, north of Buenos Aires, offers guitar, percussion, accordion singing lessons, as well as traditional music programming to local youth. Diamante is the only access point for local youth to engage with music and the arts. Renowned musician Lee Oskar has partnered with Diamante to provide harmonicas and harmonica lessons.

Highlight: Youth Engagement – Diamante is the only center available to local youth to access music and the arts.

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The Khlong Toey Music Program in the Khlong Toey slum serves some of the poorest and most marginalized youth in Thailand. Resources, opportunities, and expectations for a bright future are scarce in this community. Modern music instruments and ensemble performance are offered at this program. In 2012, this program had up to 4 volunteers, a few instruments, and a few students. Now, there are 10 staff members, over 100 instruments, and 80 youth who attend regularly.

Highlight: Youth Engagement – In a high-density community, the Khlong Toey program is the only local program that offers free music lessons to children from the poorest households.

>Learn more

The Kathmandu Music program brings music and arts education to young children and teenagers who live in the capital city of Nepal. Our work in Kathmandu started over 10 years ago, at the Mitrata home, an orphanage where we provided music lessons to hundreds of kids during more than a decade.

Highlight: Social Cohesion – Mitrata targets the most at-risk youth and works to build inclusivity.

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The Musica Music Institute in Lalitpur, Nepal, just outside the capital of Kathmandu, began in a drum shop and has expanded into the current program reaching 60 youth each week. The program offers vocals, keyboard, guitar and drums classes. The program has expanded to also include access to computers, and the ability to introduce recording classes and is hosting public performances so the students can showcase what they’ve learned.

Highlight: Professional Development – Musica student Anu has proven a bright star and model for other youth in Lalitpur.

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The Udayapur Music Program is also located in Tintale Village, as well as two other locations in the towns of Katari and Gaighat. Udayapur reaches almost 200 youth between 3 locations, providing music education, as well as other music and dance activities. Facing major obstacles due to class inequality, the local team has worked for over a decade to prove to community members that music can be a powerful tool to tell the stories from the community and promote community development. Both the Mother’s Society and Udayapur programs are now well established in their communities.

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The Tintale Village Mothers Society located in the Udayapur district in eastern Nepal, is one of the poorest and most marginalized communities in all of Nepal. Began as a movement among 35 local women to change their lives and daughters’ futures, the Mother’s Society has reached thousands of community members across villages spread throughout the region. They use music and dance to engage community members and have real conversations about the dangers of sex-trafficking, early marriage, domestic abuse, sustainable incomes through livestock and sewing, among many other themes.

Highlight: Gender Development – Reaching upwards of 400 women and girls in recent visit to remote Hill Tribe Region. Gender development activities are otherwise not accessible.

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The Baja Musical Arts Initiative, , located in Tijuana, turns music education and orchestral performance into tools for social cohesion in a community overwhelmed by gang violence. Choir classes, body movement, harmony, as well as instrument classes are offered to youth. Program leaders use these classes as tools to build a sense of teamwork, and provide community concerts to show family members and the community at large the fruits of their children’s efforts.

Highlight: Promoting Identity – Building self confidence among youth who are most prone to join gangs.

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The Salam Music Program , is located in the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, in Northern Uganda, which is the largest refugee camp in Africa. Playing For Change Foundation has partnered with local NGO Sina Loketa to bring access to music and arts education to the youth of the settlement. In 2021, we initiated musical activities for about 60 youth by hiring a music teacher ( vocals, guitar, keyboard ) and a traditional dance teacher. The staff is now composed of 8 members.

Highlight:Our partner Sina Loketa is a refugee led Ugandan NGO dedicated through strengthening capacities of young people from the refugee and host communities.

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The Cahuita Music Program , The Cahuita Music program was inaugurated in February 2022, in the town of Cahuita located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. This project is the result of a partnership between PFC Foundation, UNFPA and Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Cahuita.

Highlight:The program focuses on transmitting the afrodescendente musical culture of the Calypso and offers classes in guitar, dance, percussion and keyboard. PFCF and UNFPA are joining forces to invest in cultural wealth so as to help balance other local economic, social, and educational disparities and help create bright futures for all of the adolescents students through music, art, life skills and social impact.

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The Zaatari Music Program , has been established in northern Jordan, inside the Zaatari refugee camp, where over 100,000 Syrian refugees have settled over the last decade. In collaboration with our esteemed partners at Questscope and Dream Day, we are offering complimentary music lessons across various instruments and disciplines, all facilitated by talented musicians from the Zaatari refugee community.

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PFCF Miami – YMU , PFCF and local Miami organization Young Musicians Unite have teamed up to widen access to music activities for youth across the Wynwood and Citrus Grove communities in Miami! Daily music education programming takes place at Citrus Grove Middle School and regular afterschool programming occurs at the innovative YMU Studio in Wynwood!

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PFCF Miami – OYC , PFCF has partnered with Overtown Youth Center to bring music to youth in the Overtown area of Miami, including at the beautiful new OYC space! DJ Khaled’s We The Best Foundation and Guitars Over Guns also joined this coalition to bring positive change to Overtown youth.

Program in development

Cachimayo Music Program , In 2023, Playing for Change Foundation initiated a new music program in Cusco, Peru, in the community of Cachimayo, located in the outskirts of the city. Free music and dance classes are taking place on a bi-weekly basis at the Sagrado Corazon School in Cachimayo, driven by 4 experienced and dedicated teachers offering training in sikuri (traditional flute), guitar, percussion and vocals. Classes will resume in March 2024 after a 2 months summer program that will also provide music classes and activities during the holidays.

Program in development

PFCF Barbados , PFCF and local organization Future Caribbean have partnered to bring music and dance programming into the Nightingale Children’s Orphanage outside of Black Rock, Barbados! Weekly programming offers music therapy and vocal lessons for youth residing in the orphanage.

Program in development