Restoring the Sound RTS and Open Doors Music ODM are launching a pilot music education program May 31st, 2006 for 60 students who live in the Maccassar Township near Cape Town, South Africa

"Maccassar is a township closest to our base", says Trevor Sampson the Founder of RTS. "This one, like Manenberg, has similar challenges, but does not get the kind of help like the others get. Yet there are such a lot of talent. We work with the main high school in that area. The level of violence can get so high that some teachers fear for their lives at times. But we have built up a good relationship with the school and it’s staff that they literally bend over backwards to facilitate the music-training project. In fact all the schools in that area have no formal music training whatsoever. It should be part of the curriculum, but there are no staff who would take up a music post there. So it is a very neglected area in the Cape overall."

Cape Town, South Africa seen here from an aerial picture is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. However, not far from table mountain, there are townships like Maccassar where tens of thousands of extremely poor South Africans live.

Many of them face an uncertain future due to poverty, lack of education and violence. Trevor and I have a hope and a dream that our music education program will be a vehicle for these students to develop their musical gifts and break the cycle of poverty over their lives. To the right is a picture of an example of a small group of children who live in Maccassar that we know will have a hope and brighter future with a solid music education.

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