With Umoja Community Arts Trust, Unite is bringing music education to many
of the orphans of St. Joseph's as well as students in Standard 3 and 4 at the Heaven Primary School.
In America, music education is taken for granted… it is simply part of our schools’ curriculums. In Tanzania, it is not. Instead, their children learn by rote, sheer “chalk and talk” — reading, writing, arithmetic, science — and they miss out on all of the sensory stimulation, creative expression and literal brain development that is fostered by a proper music education.
In addition to conducting Friday morning lessons at Heaven School, Umoja teachers are working to help build a sense of confidence and self worth in these children, many of whom have, over the past few year, had the unique opportunity to perform on stage at the International School of Moshi alongside children of diplomats, government officials, heads of NGOs and big businesses, and others.
WHY MUSIC?
Studies have shown that…
- Students who play an instrument receive higher marks and perform better on standardized tests than their classmates who don’t. (The American Music Conference)
- Students who participate in school band or orchestra have the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among any group in our society. (U.S. House of Representatives, 2000)
- Students enrolled in the arts report participating more in community service and having less feelings of boredom in school. (Catterall, 2002)
