Blog 2

27th August 2011

We’ve been in Kamembe for a week now and visited the two centres. Monday and Tuesday were spent at Ngwino Nawe, and Wednesday and Thursday at Nkanka Nkanka. We were so encouraged by the sessions we observed; the enthusiasm of the staff has continued, and
interactive music sessions have been firmly embedded in their
timetables. Alongside their growing confidence they are adapting
and introducing their own activities, showing a real understanding
of the potential of using music therapeutically in their
work.

On Friday morning we hosted a meeting of staff from both centres to encourage peer support, as we feel this will ultimately reinforce the
sustainability of the project, and discuss with them what training
and support they would like from us over the next week. Staff
really enjoyed watching video clips from both centres and
developing new activities together.

Rwanda Aid is in the midst of plans to build a village that will provide a safe home for Kamembe’s many street children and give them
access to education. We had a really interesting morning with the
street children last Friday. Firstly we ran a music group (using
minimal resources – a violin, a drum and a beach ball!) with
34 excited children, then met with the education officer and
assistant welfare officer to investigate the feasibility of a
future Music as Therapy International project.

Last weekend we went for a lovely walk by the lake, through plantations of medicinal trees that produce quinine to cure malaria. We saw people fishing for the local zambaza fish, which are very small and a little like anchovies. We have also had close encounters with a snake, several cockroaches, lizards, mice and a big rat.

We’re looking forward to next week!

Nicky and Caroline