Peace Through Music Uganda
IN UGANDA SINCE 2005
CURRENT PROJECTS
Weekly School-Based Classes
Since 2006, PTMU has offered bi-weekly music classes in two Gulu secondary schools: Awere School (a displaced school for students from the village of Awere) and Gulu Central. In 2008, we also began music classes at Holy Rosary Primary School. Classes are taught by Burim Vraniqaj and local Ugandan volunteer youth-teachers in training and include:
- Beginning and Intermediate Pennywhistle
- Beginning and Intermediate Singing
IDP Camp-Based Classes
Tens of thousands of war-impacted people live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps. Many are children who lost their homes and families during the war. We offer weekly classes and volunteer training in the following areas:
- Beginning and Advanced Singing
- Beginning and Advanced Pennywhistle.
Child-Mother Classes
The Pabo IDP camp is home to a significant number of child mothers, girls who conceived and bore children as a result of their abduction and abuse within the Lord’s Resistance Army. This population has tremendous physical and emotional needs as well as tremendous potential as leaders in peacemaking. We have established weekly classes in the following:
- Beginning and Advanced Singing
- Beginning and Advanced Pennywhistle.
- Musical Play for Young Children.
Gulu Youth-Teacher Volunteer Program
Like KCMI, PTMU is based on the premise that a sustainable, locally-run program is in the best interests of war-affected communities. Training local volunteers also allows us to teach more children year-round.
Local youth volunteers receive training in the following:
- Reading, writing, and counting music
- Singing
- Playing pennywhistle and ukulele
- Music pedagogy for children, including reading, counting, singing, and playing music
Programs Under Development
We are presently developing music education and volunteer teacher training programs for children living in communities densely populated by former child soldiers, as well as school teacher training courses for schools beyond Gulu.
Thanks for restoring hope through music in the war raveged northern Uganda. It’s quite a unique way of promoting peace through the art of music. I come from a childrens’ Organisation called Child Care Foundation Uganda which also uses, among other programs, the art of music and dance to rehabilitate young minds raveged by poverty. We give emphasis to traditional African Music and dance, applying traditional instruments to bring out the rhythm.
I am writting to you to inquire if you also take into consideration of children affected by poverty from the highly impoverished districts of Uganda. If you do consider them, then we request for your support through musical equipments , technical support or even costumes in order to support the growing number of children who apply for our services. I will send you some of our photos of our children in action but i will be very previlaged to hear from you.
I have been supporting Invisible Children and I am interested in your programs in Uganda as well.