Children in Pabo IDP Camp and Youth Volunteer Irene Going to Teach, Feb 2011

March 1: Today I am writing about the Pabo Camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP Camp).  [note from Liz--this is delayed one week because Burim's been having internet problems in Uganda]

Last Friday I went to Pabo. The weather was very hot and the road is very dusty. It takes 2 hours to get there, either on the back of a motorcycle (called a “boda boda” taxi) or in a car if we can rent a car and driver.  Luckily we arrived on time.  Collins, one of our youth volunteers, came with me to help teach and translate.

Collins (left) and Cambel with Blackboard at Pabo IDP Camp, March 2011

Collins, who is now 24, started in our program in 2005 when Vanessa first brought the program to Uganda and held classes in his High School.  In 2006 he became one of the first Youth Volunteers.  After he graduated from High School, Collins went to Mukono and Mbale to study plumbing in college.  Even while he was in college, Collins continued to return to Gulu whenever possible to help in the program. He is now back in Gulu, working part-time job as a plumber.  Collins is hoping to get a fulltime job, but wants to continue as a volunteer in our program regardless.  He is a very good teacher.

Burim and Cambel with Pabo Camp Kids Coming to See New Blackboard, March 2011

A few days ago I ordered a large Blackboard for Pabo because they didn’t have one for the school there. When we arrived at the camp, Collins and I had to walk for 10 minutes to the school—one of us carrying the blackboard and the other carrying the stands to hold the board.  All the people who lived there looked at us and said, “Thank you, thank you”.  At first I thought they were just greeting us, because they do greet that way, and I was replying back as “thank you”. But when Cambel, the man who is our camp coordinator volunteer came to meet us, he said that the camp people were thanking him as well, and told him to thank us also for thinking of them and for making life better for the kids who live there. I myself know how important this program is to kids, youth and adults.  But the way I felt that day was really special and made me appreciate our program even more. It also made my day because I knew I was doing the right thing by going to teach there.

Cambel (left) and Collins Teaching Song at Pabo Camp, March 2011

Cambel used to live in the camp but has now moved back to his village. But he returns every week to help us teach the children and teenagers, and he will continue the program there after I leave.

We met the kids for our first class, and in the beginning there were only 18 kids but then more came, and we had around 38 kids in the singing class.  They all had fun singing and clapping with me and Collins, and also laughing when I tried to speak the Acholii language.  After we finished the class they asked if we could stay a little longer and sing the same songs again, so of course we did stay, and then I asked, “Is there anything more, or are we done?” And the kids asked, “Can we continue this every Friday?” and when I said “Yes” they all cheered  “YEA!!” and went out running and singing the songs.

Pabo Camp Singing Class, March 2011

We were also supposed to have a class with the dropouts, (teenagers who have never been able to attend school and can’t read or write) but only 3 of them showed up.  We had a class with them and they liked it.  Collins did most of the teaching because he speaks the Acholli language.  [Note from Liz: English is the official language in Uganda, but it is only taught in school, so children who can’t attend school never learn it.]

After we got back to Gulu, Cambel called and said that the reason why the others from the dropout class did not come was that most of them thought the class was on Saturday.  He asked what we should do because he was afraid that if we didn’t hold the class the teenagers might get disappointed in the program and not continue.  I told him I would try to arrange something and would call him and let him know on Saturday morning.  But then his phone was off when I called (because he had no electricity to charge it) so I just called a driver and went to Pabo hoping to find Cambel or the dropouts and have a class with them.

Burim Teaching Singing Class at Pabo Camp, March 2011

When I arrived at the camp I saw Cambel waiting with 5 of the students who had missed the class on Friday.  I had a short meeting with them so that they now know the schedule, and then I taught them a class.  They were embarrassed of their writing and reading, because they don’t go to school, but I told them that they just need to draw a note and write the number on how many beats it gets, they all know numbers and they all did good in drawing the notes, the names they will have to memorize for right now, but it helped them to do it this way.

So we are now teaching 4 different groups at the camp:

1—The Street Kids (young children who don’t go to school)

2—the Dropouts (age 15 and over)

3—The Adult Leaders (mostly school teachers)

4— Primary (Elementary) School children who attend the camp school

It’s going to be hard for me to teach all 4 groups in one day because of the 2-hour drive (each way) to get to the camp, and the fact that in Uganda things never start or end on time.  But every time I go I can’t wait to get back there and thank everyone in the camp for appreciating our program so much.

The Street Where We Live in Gulu

Life has been good here in Gulu, Uganda.  The electricity is getting better.  Where I am staying does not have water right now, but there have been promises that it will soon be fixed.

I am having a lot of fun teaching the Youth Volunteers.  While I was gone they didn’t practice very much, and when I first got back they were embarrassed to play in front of the other volunteers in our group training classes.

Youth Volunteers After A Training Class

Sometimes they even pretended that they forgot their instruments.   But now I am working with each of them individually, and they are improving so fast.   I am able to accomplish much more with them in their individual lessons and I also get to know more about them personally.  It is definitely helping them feel comfortable when they play for each other and the children now, and has increased their courage and desire to play more music.  They have told me that now they know how much they love playing music and practicing. I am more than happy when I see how confident they are now.

Children in First GUSCO Class, Feb 2011

We started our classes at GUSCO (a local NGO working with formerly abducted and camp children) last Saturday. I taught two songs and told them about our music program, and they told me that they are very excited to be able to do something that other kids their age cannot do.  I can’t wait to start them on the instruments and really give them this feeling that they want– to make them feel special and build their self-esteem.

Teenagers in First GUSCO Class, Feb 2011

The children at GUSCO are the kids that are the most left out of the community, and Gusco is trying to help them to integrate.  Our music program is a great way to help them be integrated into the community and feel good about themselves.

Innocent at Pabo Camp, 2009

Innocent, one of our Youth Volunteers came with me to the Holy Rosary Primary (elementary) School in Gulu to introduce our program to the Head Teachers there.  He was so confident and did a very good job, and now we have our program back in this Primary School, and it is looking like we will have around 100 students.

We are still doing classes at the Pabo IDP Camp.  The camp, which had a population of over 75,000 when we first came to Uganda, is now officially closed but still has over 10,000 people living there.  We are teaching three different groups in the camp.

Youth Volunteers (wearing backpacks and hats donated by Arizona Young Women's group) Returning to Pabo IDP Camp, Feb 2011

So far I think we have around 300 students in our classes here and I am hoping to add more soon, because I really believe that this is the program they need. It is a great way to let them know their value and for them to see that they can do something with their life.  It brings a smile back to their faces, it gives them self-esteem and it builds their desire to do more.  They love us here– and of course I love being here to be part of this.

Traffic in Kampala is a little crazy

The last time I was in Uganda was July 2009.   I was supposed to return to Uganda this last fall, but had some health problems so we postponed the trip until now.  It is good to be back. I arrived in Entebbe on February 3^rd at midnight, and after getting my visa (it is issued at the airport after arrival) and having all my bags checked by security, I went outside to find a driver to take me to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, where I would stay for 2 nights.  After we agreed on a price, the driver took me to Kampala and helped me find my hotel.  By the time I was in the hotel room, it was very late and I was tired, but I was so excited to be back that I couldn’t sleep.  The next day I went shopping for food and water to take with me to Gulu, where our program is based, and also tried to find a driver with a good price to take me there, since taking a bus with all the bags I had is not safe.  The distance from Kampala to Gulu is close to 400km and it costs a lot to hire someone to take you there, but it is worth it because it is the only safe way to do it.

Burim in Gulu, Feb 2011

I arrived in Gulu after 2 days in Kampala, and started meeting with everyone to set up a schedule and start as soon as possible.  Everyone seems to be happy to see me and to be able to continue the program.

In the few days since I’ve been back, I’ve met with the Youth Volunteers, GUSCO (a Ugandan NGO working with formerly abducted children), two Gulu secondary schools, and the Pabo IDP camp, (which is supposed to be closed, but has more than 10,000 people still living there).  In the Pabo camp I am going to teach the primary kids there and the dropouts (kids from 15 years old and above who do not go to school) and also train a group of people who will run the program after I leave.

Ugandan Youth Volunteers, Feb 2011

In addition to the classes I will be teaching during the three months I am here, I will be spending a lot of time training the Ugandan Youth Volunteers—both as a group and in individual lessons on ukulele, guitar, pennywhistle, conducting, and teaching techniques. While I was gone our program was taught by our Ugandan Youth Volunteers, but on a limited basis because they were not allowed to leave their schools to teach in other places.  Now they are older so I am hoping they will be able to do more.

"Jojo's Palace", where we stay in Gulu

It feels very good to be back and see that there are not many changes except that the electricity is even worse than it was before.  I only have electricity for two hours after midnight.  Sometimes they might leave it on for 3 hours but not more than that, and there is no electricity during the day at all.  If I am lucky the place where I stay will run their generator for one hour during the day, especially if there is a football (soccer) game and people come to watch it, but if there is no football game that day, then there is no generator.

Gulu Children, Feb 2011

Also, the prices for everything have gone very high.  But the good thing is that I am able to find food and water easily in Gulu.  During my last trip it was very difficult to find these things, especially water.

Thank you so much for all of your help this year.  I know it’s been a really hard year, and I can’t even express how much I appreciate the sacrifices you have made to keep supporting us.

Catholic and Protestant Children Together for Music Class, Belfast 2005

We have big plans for 2011 and we will reach them thanks to you.  Our biggest news is that I will be returning to Belfast in February to re-open our Northern Ireland programs.  For the first time ever, we have local centers, both Protestant and Catholic who have already organized themselves together to host our program bringing the Catholic and Protestant children together for music classes. They are excited about their children coming to know each other as they learn music together in our music classes, and they have volunteers ready to be trained so that they can become the teachers of these classes and grow the program. This is all because of you.

Children Preparing Molotov Cocktails to Throw at Police, Belfast 2010

2010 was an incredibly violent year in N Ireland.  The summer was filled with riots.  Soldiers and Policemen were killed for the first time in many years.  What was unique about the riots of 2010 was the participation of so many children.  They rioted alongside the adults.  Since the summer, bombs have been placed in schools and other places where children would be hit.  We are needed in N Ireland more than ever before, and you are sending us there.

Burim with Pabo IDP Camp Singing Class, Uganda, 2007

Burim is headed back to Uganda in February.  We planned to send him last October but due to health problems we had to postpone his trip.  Our Ugandan Youth Volunteers have really struggled to keep our programs going without either Burim or I being there, and I’m so proud of them for all the hard work they have done.   Burim and the Youth Volunteers will be establishing new programs for former child soldiers and the children who have recently lost their homes due to the IDP camp closures.  They really need us there, and it is because of you that we are able to keep going back.  Thank you.

Boys Harmonica Class, Kosovo IDP Camp, 1999

We hope to be working with war-affected children in another country by the end of the 2011/2012 school year.  Among the countries we are considering to next take our program to is Jordan, where there are many Iraqi Refugee Camps.  These Iraqi children really need the peace, self-esteem, and hope that our music programs bring.  The goal will be to both teach the children and train the teenagers as Youth Music Teachers so that when these families are able to return to Iraq they will take our program with them and we will be able to reach even more Iraqi children.

I just read an article about an 11-year-old Pakistani boy who dreamed of being a suicide bomber.  He wanted this more than anything in the world.  He was extremely fortunate in that he was saved from this and didn’t do it.

Kosovo Youth Volunteers with Children in Singing Class, 2010

But so many children RIGHT NOW are being taught that their greatest value is to be a human bomb.  Not to grow up and live a good life and help others.  Just to kill themselves now and to kill as many others as they can.  These children truly believe that their lives don’t matter.  That they can’t change anything, or fix anything.  That hatred is more valuable than love.  That fear is reason to act.

Kosovo Youth Volunteers Playing Game with IDP Camp Children, 2010

This is the opposite of what we teach.  Every child who enters our music classes is taught from the very first class that he or she is important. That they can make a difference.  That they can change the world.  And most importantly, that we love them.  One of my favorite things is seeing one of our Teenage Youth Volunteers interact with the children in their music classes.  They reach out to the children who are struggling and show them that even if something is difficult, they can learn it.  These teenagers learn to love the children in their classes, and the children know it.

Burim Teaching Singing Class in Uganda IDP Camp, 2007

I want you to know that you ARE our programs.  You made them possible.  You make them work.  If not for your support, we would have finished long, long ago.  You are reaching so many children.  You are teaching peace.  You are giving hope.  You are giving love to children who get it from no place else.

Every $5 you donate means another instrument for another child.  Every $50 means a child receives an instrument, music, and music classes for a year.   $100 gives instruments to an entire class.  $1,000 gives music, instruments, and classes to a full class of children for an entire year.

Ugandan Youth Volunteer with Children in Singing Class, 2009

We need $40,000 to reach our goal of $50,000 for our winter and spring programs in Uganda, Kosovo, and N Ireland.  This will enable us to reach so many more children.  To save so many more children.

Thank you so much for everything you have done.  Thank you for making all of this happen.  Thank you for continuing to make this the extraordinary program it has become.

With much love,

Liz Shropshire, Founder and International Program Director

December 2010

Dear friends:

If you feel overwhelmed by this busy time of year, take a moment and listen to these voices:

IN KOSOVO:

Kosovo Youth Volunteers, 2010

•           “This program has changed my life because I love helping others more now.  When I am involved in the program, there is no time to feel angry—all I feel is peace.”

•           Working in this program as a volunteer for five years has changed me completely. It has helped me to understand that no matter what has happened during the war, to be alive is wonderful and that there are still great people out there who are willing to help others.

•           Volunteering in this program helped me to get rid of painful memories of distressful things that I experienced during the war.  It helped me choose the right path in life.

Teenagers Attacking Police, N. Ireland, 2010

IN NORTHERN IRELAND:

•           “This music program is the first time that my daughter [who is Catholic] has had the opportunity to become friends with Protestant children.  It is amazing—and something I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime”

IN UGANDA:

•           Our family is poor and has a lot of problems.  Sometimes when I become confused and angry in my mind during times of sickness, or when we lack school fees, of doing things that can worsen the situation, I practice playing guitar, ukulele, and pennywhistle and it helps me.

Ugandan Youth Volunteers, 2007

•           “This program helped me a lot since I came back from the bush [escaped from being a child soldier].  Those kind of bad dreams, I’m not getting now, because I just pick up the ukulele or the pennywhistle and start to play.  And those bad dreams or bad thinking just disappear.”

These beautiful voices—they thank you. Thank you for supporting the Shropshire Music Foundation.  You have transformed the lives of more than 10,000 children.

Can you help again?  2010 has been our hardest year ever.  While our programs continue to grow, our funds are lower than ever before.  We need $85,000 to reach our goal of $100,000 by September.  To reach more children.  To save more children.

Please click on “How to Help” above to make a tax-deductible donation.

Thank you so much for everything you have done.  Thank you for making all of this happen.  Thank you for continuing to make this the extraordinary program it has become.

With much love,

Liz Shropshire

Founder and International Program Director

P.S.  If you can’t donate as much as you have in the past, please donate less.  If you are able to donate more than you have in the past, please donate more.  Please donate.  Please donate because we need it more than we have ever needed it before.

This year, give the most important gift possible…

Hope.

Every night, children in Kosovo wake up screaming from horrific nightmares about men with guns.  Every day, Protestant and Catholic kids in Northern Ireland cautiously play in segregated communities, always fearing a burst of violence.  Every evening, Ugandan boys and girls trek to urban shelters where they huddle together to evade being kidnapped and forced into becoming child soldiers.

These children live thousands of miles apart, but they all suffer from the trauma of war.  And they are all being cared for by a unique program—The Shropshire Music Foundation—instilling tolerance, emotional healing and peace through music education and performance programs.

And this holiday season, there is a child that needs your help.

This small grassroots organization has become a powerful force in teaching war-traumatized children living in atmospheres of compounding hatred that they can be peacemakers.  The foundation has grown to reach Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Uganda.  However, despite the program’s remarkable growth and successes, funding is at an all-time low.

Give your friend or family member the gift of hope for a suffering child.

Simply click here to make a secure, tax-deductible donation through Paypal. Then email us to receive a beautiful card to give to your neighbor, boss, co-worker, friend or family member.  We can mail the card(s) to you or mail them directly to your recipients.  Just send us an email with your name, their name, and the address(es) that you would like the card(s) mailed to.

The inside of the card will read:

“As a gift to you, a donation was made in your name to the Shropshire Music Foundation.  This donation will buy musical instruments and classes for children living in war zones.  More importantly, this gift will instill self-esteem, teach ethnic and religious tolerance, and provide hope for children that have so little.”

We guarantee your friends and family will be touched and inspired by your important gift.  We know that we will be!

May your holiday season be especially bright and peaceful this year.  Thank you, your support means everything to us.

The Shropshire Music Foundation

For more information on the Foundation and its innovative initiatives, go to:

www.teachingchildrenpeace.org

info@shropshirefoundation.org

Or call (310) 709-3717

Rhiannon and Rebekah Hatch With Me at the SMF Booth!

Every fall, I spend quite a bit of time doing public speaking—to schools, church groups, community clubs, universities, and pretty much anyplace people will sit down and listen to me.  This year, SMF’s wonderful friend and supporter, Alberta music teacher Barb Hatch, asked me to come to the Alberta Music Teachers Conference and man a booth about our program.  The convention lasts two days and today is day two.  Music teachers from all over Alberta attend this convention, as does the Alberta High School Honor Band, and so many teachers and students have stopped at our booth to ask what we are about.  I tell them about our programs in Kosovo, Uganda, and N Ireland, and about the opportunity they have to participate in PRACTICE FOR PEACE.

Rebekah Modeling T-Shirt Given to P4P Participants Who Raise $100 or More!

Barb made a lot of copies of our Practice for Peace Group Kit and the SMF DVD, so I’ve been handing them out right and left.  I expect a really great response from Alberta this year!

And it makes me want to do this more!  If you have a Music Teachers Conference or Convention in your state or city and would like to have a booth, please contact me.  It’s a fantastic way to spread the word about what we are doing and to get others involved.  And you really don’t need me to be at the booth, although I’m enjoying doing it and would love to do as many of these as I can when I’m in the US and Canada.

So just let me know.  And if you don’t know about PRACTICE FOR PEACE, please read about it on our website and download the kit and do it!

Barb Hatch With the SMF Booth!

Barb Hatch, here.   I just wanted to make a plug to any music teachers out there.  I noticed when I did a booth at this conference a couple of years ago that my name tag as an exhibitor also allowed me to attend all workshops at the conference.   This year,  flying Liz in to run the booth has turned it into an opportunity to reach two of my yearly personal goals—–get in one professional development event,  AND  give Liz some good SCHMOOZING  time in Alberta.  We’ve had a great weekend hanging out,  reintroducing Liz to Tim Horton’s donuts :)  and  especially meeting some wonderful people that we hope will become regular supporters of Practice for Peace!!

My name is Kenny and I started volunteering as the Online Media Coordinator for the Shropshire Music Foundation in 2007. That year, Liz came to speak about the foundation in Los Angeles. Burim was here from Kosovo, too, and he presented with her. I was touched and checked out the SMF website after the meeting; that’s when I decided there was something I wanted to do to help. I contacted Liz to offer my services as a graphic designer and we threw the snowball that led to an avalanche of new things: a new website, facebook page, email newsletters, online donation possibilities, and…blogging!

So, last Monday when Liz came to speak again in Los Angeles, I headed over to listen. She did a wonderful job–as always–and it was fascinating to listen to her presentation after having volunteered with her for 3 years. I felt the same sense of need and I’m still 100% happy I’m a volunteer. But this time, instead of being a passive watcher, I was already friends with Liz and we got to discuss how all of the programs are doing and what more I can do for SMF. The Muse must agree that it’s such an important cause and that Liz is such a dedicated leader, because when I’m around Liz I always come up with plenty of ideas about how to help! For example, how we’re going to feature the latest SMF promo item…stay tuned to the site!

In fact, Liz gave me one of the new promo items as a gift–a guitar pick on a necklace, threaded and tied by the youth volunteers in Kosovo.  More than that, she called me up in front of the whole crowd and thanked me for my service. I felt so much love from her and from the volunteers in Kosovo and everywhere. It’s a treasured keepsake now. Thanks Liz and all of you in Kosovo!

It has been a joy helping the foundation continue to help children become peacemakers. I consider myself blessed to have crossed paths with Liz and send my love to everyone involved–volunteers, all of the donors, students in clubs raising awareness, and especially the children learning to become peacemakers through music!

Liz’s speech generated a lot of discussion and made all sorts of people aware of what is going on with the children of war. I hope you’ll all share this site with your friends and tell them in person how you feel about it. And I hope to see you back here again soon, Liz!

Kenny

Here are some pictures from the evening:

Summer 2001, Singing Class at Tolerance Camp

I have a really hard time writing this blog when I’m in the US doing the fundraising and awareness building part of my job.  I spend all of my time organizing and coordinating speaking engagements or fundraising events, and supervising our programs overseas via email, phone, and text message.  Takes a LOT of time, but I don’t think it would be very interesting to read about.  So I decided to look up some old journal entries and email updates I sent out long before we had this blog on our website.  They are really long so I will break them up and add the pictures that go with the events, as I couldn’t do when I sent out the emails so many years ago.  I hope you enjoy it!

MY LIFE AND ADVENTURES IN KOSOVA: Summer 2001, Part 1

I returned to Kosova at the end of May.  I’m so very glad to be back in Kosova.  The people here are so wonderful; they truly ARE the riches of Kosova.  But I have experienced more frustration in the past 2 months than I can remember ever experiencing in my life.

The First SMF House!

One week after my return to Kosova I moved into a house.  It is a great setup both for the foundation and for me.  The upper part of the house was destroyed by fire, and later by flooding, and no one has lived here for quite some time so the outside looks quite bad—the front yard is overgrown with weeds and tall grass, and the front entrance has wooden supports as if it was under construction.   But the downstairs half of the house is quite nice.  It consists of a bedroom, one small room (a bedroom, but soon to become our office) a living room, kitchen, bathroom (with a shower—the first I’ve seen in Kosova!), a garage, and even a washing machine.  We will be setting up a computer-training center in the office, and use the living room for teacher training and activities.

Fall 2001, Rreza Teaching Volunteer Training in our house

The rent is approximately $225, which is a normal “local” rent, but very low for an “international” person, most of who are making very large salaries.  But when they learned that I have not been paid a salary since beginning this project, they agreed to rent it to me at the local rate.  A family living in Belgium owns it.  I have had to spend a lot of time and money cleaning and fixing things in the house to make it secure for our computers and instruments, and to make it a good workplace for our team here and habitable for me.  The biggest problems were bad locks, mildew from the previous flood, and flooding in the bathroom whenever the toilet and shower were used.  Or so I thought.

SMF-Handikos Youth Volunteer Computer Training in our House

But when I rented the house I agreed to let the owners stay here (with me) for two weeks when they visited from Belgium.  I wasn’t looking forward to it, because it meant delaying the setup for computer and teacher training, but I knew that it would be extremely difficult to find another setup as perfect as this, so I agreed.  But I wasn’t told when the family would come, or how many people would be coming.  Then, last Sunday, I was told that the family would be coming the next day, and that it would be four people: the owner and his wife, and their son and his wife.  I quickly moved everything into the large bedroom so that they could use the other bedroom and the living room.  They arrived at 2am on Monday.  They were very nice.  But they took over the entire house.  And they never left.  Their friends and relatives all came here, day and night.  Suddenly I was living in only one room, surrounded by people I didn’t know, but paying for an entire house.

Village Outreach Project Training, Fall 2001, in our house

And then they told me that they were actually staying not for two weeks, but for two MONTHS!  I didn’t know what to do. I knew that in retrospect this would be very funny, but at the time it was just making me miserable.  I didn’t want to move, but I didn’t see any other solution.

Finally, I sat down with the family and told them that I would be moving out because I really needed to have the entire house, not just one room.  I couldn’t postpone the computer and teacher training until September.  And I really needed some privacy after being with children all day and into the evening.  They said that they didn’t want me to move, so we agreed that after a few weeks they would go stay with their family in Gjakove.

I absolutely love the Eastman School of Music.  The students there are amazingly talented and hardworking.  It is the top school of music in the US, the students are completely overwhelmed by how much work they have to do to succeed there, and yet they have formed a club to support the Shropshire Music Foundation, and have raised more money than any other school for us.

They are wonderful.  I love them.

Every year I speak to the Freshman Colloquium at Eastman.  This very large class is mandatory for all incoming freshmen and transfer students, so I get to speak to every single Eastman student.  I love it.  Every year, at the end of the lecture, students ask what they can do to get involved.  Three years ago they formed the “EASTMAN FOR SHROPSHIRE MUSIC FOUNDATION” club and they have been extremely active ever since.  We are now discussing the possibility of a student group coming to Eastman as a Study/Service Abroad trip.  I hope it happens!

Midnight Ramblers Rehearsal

Last Friday, Oct 1, they organized a benefit concert for us.  Interestingly, they didn’t have groups from Eastman perform.  Rather, they selected two music groups from the University of Rochester’s main campus.  (Eastman is part of the U of R)

Liz With Midnight Ramblers After Their Performance

The first group who performed were the MIDNIGHT RAMBLERS, an all-male a cappella group who were not only excellent singers but really fun performers.  They are all U of R students.  As a part of their set they performed Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” while I showed slides in the background of the wars affects on Kosovo, Uganda and N Ireland.

Walri in Rehearsal

The second group was Rochester’s most popular Independent band WALRI.  They are all U of R graduates—two in Physics and two from the Eastman School of Music.   Their music is interesting, intelligent, and fun.  We couldn’t stop dancing to it from the lobby, where we had a display of photos and information about SMF.

Walri Live at the Concert!

The concert was organized by Garrett Rubin and Hannah Picasso-Hobin.  Garrett is the president of the Eastman for SMF club, and came to Kosovo last summer.  Hannah did an amazing Senior Project about SMF last summer and taught an entire class how to play pennywhistle.  They are both amazing.  In addition, there were 8 Eastman students who manned the tickets and helped with everything else.  The grand total raised was over $1200.  A fantastic amount that will really help us reach more children!!

I still can’t get over these amazing, amazing students.  I love them.  I hope more universities will get involved with SMF!