21 FEBRUARY was my birthday! A day I feel extremely “fortunate” to have seen again after my recent battle with two forms of malignant cancer (one, aggressive!). (It’s the exact same date that my mother passed away, not surviving her cancer battle 22 years ago).
(Unlike my mother), I’ve been lucky enough to get through the treatment (several rounds each of two different consecutive chemotherapy regimes …followed by another similar cancer battling drug therapy regime as well as surgery and radiotherapy), the bulk of which finished last September. (Although still recovering from residual treatment issues) my prognosis is “thankfully” positive 🤞.
So, I’m not “done yet”! 😄,
Will you please help me (commemorate my late mother) celebrate my this year’s birthday and make the best of the extended time I’ve been granted with a charitable gift donation (however large or small).
The request is to assist me in my capacity as a trustee of Keys of Change CIO (UK Charity Regn. No. 1166756) so we can do all we can to answer a ”call for help” just received relating to a need to bring joy, hope and brighter prospects to young music students in a poverty stricken area in Madagascar where, we are told, “ They are very poor people, but trying to do their best !! The Malagasy people are singing and dancing a lot !!”).
The mission of Keys of Change CIO (together with its US based counterpart Keys of Change USA) is to improve the lives of young people living in poverty or other difficult circumstances around the world, through music. Please explore the www.keysofchange.org website for examples of the profound impact the charity has had with music programs to date, harnessing the power of music to catalyse positive change in the Iives of children facing immense challenges, including poverty, in various parts of the world.
Adopting the approach (I also took with my cancer treatment) of ”one step at a time”, Keys of Change CIO, as a first step, wishes to respond to this “call for help” from Madagascar and provide as many of the musical instruments needed as possible. (Currently, the 199 young music students share a few instruments that they are unable to take home to practice or enjoy playing).
We were able to respond within days of the help request by immediately (with the help of volunteers including Air France flight crews), despatching 3 x saxophones (previously and kindly donated by Ronnie Scotts Charitable Foundation), to Madagascar. Since then, we have also further despatched 8 x violins, driven to France by a kind volunteer and (again with the help of Air France crews), destined to arrive in Madagascar on 24 March 25. (See in “Updates”).
Will you please help me to raise funds so we (Keys of Change CIO) can acquire and send some of the less commonly donated instruments (suitable for student learning) on the list?
For example, if I can raise the below amounts, we could buy:
£100 - one viola
£250 - starter drum kit
£260 - one cello
£200-300 - one piano keyboard
£800 - the requisite total of 8 x violas
… and, if we reach the target e.g.
£1000 - the requisite total of 4 x drum kits; or mixture of violas, drum kit, cello etc.
£1000+ will go a long way towards buying everything on the list (and Keys of Change can consider a next step of helping to fund the music teachers. Currently the music school relies upon a few volunteers who unfortunately but understandably leave as soon as they find paid work).
PERSONAL PLEDGES
N.B. - (As per my initial pledge), I personally donated £100 to this Crowdfunder when it reached the amount of £500 in requested donations. I pledge a further £100 if I reach my £1000 target in requested donations.
“Thank you” to all who kindly donate and/or circulate (i.e. ’Share’). 🤗
Francesca (Nwaegbe) 🙏🏼