With just a few guitars, we can introduce a world of music to students in Rwanda. The many musically-inclined students here have little access to musical instruments outside of formal and usually church settings. The study of an instrument can transform a recreational interest in music into a life-defining discipline. This discipline can aid children in their expressive ability as they enter young adulthood and provide a life-long creative outlet. This will help reduce the risk of alcohol abuse and other self-destructive behaviors resulting from a lack of discipline or a lack of actual or perceived options.

The local school, a boarding school, is graciously allowing students to use classrooms in the evening hours after lessons for workshop meetings, practice space and rehearsals. Without this essential contribution, this project would not be possible. Teachers at the school and possibly advanced students will provide lessons to students and other teachers. They will rotate lessons and share the workshop hours.

What we are lacking is access to musical instruments. By economic standards in the local neighborhood, an initial input of guitars is prohibitively expensive. By providing this initial contribution through donor support, the school will be able to maintain its stock of guitars by charging a proposed, nominal fee of only 500 Frw. each school term, less than a US dollar, to learners engaged in the Guitar Workshop. Your donation and support is much appreciated. Thank you for helping us change the lives of even a handful of students at our school.

Tyler Russ, the project coordinator, is from Canby, OR and is a graduate of Portland State University.