#music

🇿🇦 South Africa · Bridges for Music

A purpose-built academy in Cape Town's oldest township, Langa, trains young creatives in electronic music production, DJing, and the business skills to turn beats into livelihoods.

🇿🇦 South Africa · Buskaid

A purpose-built music school in Diepkloof, Soweto, gives township children free string instruments, lessons and a shot at a professional music career.

🇻🇪 Venezuela · Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar (El Sistema)

A free, government-funded network of children's orchestras and choirs has spent fifty years turning Venezuela's poorest barrios into concert halls.

🇿🇦 South Africa · Field Band Foundation

An Africanised take on the American marching band turns brass and percussion into a life-skills and HIV-education programme for nearly 6,000 township and rural young people.

🇿🇦 South Africa · Isango Ensemble

A Cape Town theatre company built almost entirely from township performers with no formal training reimagines Western opera and classics through South African music, dance and marimba.

🇵🇾 Paraguay · Recycled Orchestra of Cateura

In a slum built beside Asunción's largest landfill, children play violins made from oil cans and cellos made from packing crates.

🇿🇦 South Africa · MusicWorks

Registered music therapists turn marimba bands, choirs and drumming circles into psychosocial support for children traumatised by violence and neglect on Cape Town's Cape Flats.

🌍 Global · Musicians Without Borders

A Netherlands-based charity trains local musicians to use music therapy and community music-making as tools for healing in the world's conflict zones.

🇿🇦 South Africa · Ndlovu Care Group

A Dutch doctor's rural clinic in Limpopo grew into a healthcare, education, and community-development group whose youth choir went on to captivate audiences on America's Got Talent.

🇦🇹 Austria · Superar

Started by the Vienna Concert Hall, the Vienna Boys' Choir and Caritas Vienna in 2009, Superar gives children who couldn't otherwise afford it free, intensive orchestra and choir training.