The Temba Music Project is making inroads in developing children’s music skills in Moretele and Tsw2hane region.
The Project started ten years ago at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC), with a dream to establish a Community Music School. The project is run by an NGO managed by Ms Shadigolo Mmope and Ms Maria Monyane. They use 11 music instructors supported by the University of South Africa (Unisa).
The story of Temba Musical Project is from humble beginnings. Back in 2005 they heard that Mercedes Benz South Africa was supporting the classical music at the State Theatre in Pretoria. The leadership joined in at the State Theatre to learn and acquire skills to run a music school. After that they started with 10 students back in Temba. The numbers grew to 15 and continued to grow. It is at this time the leadership realised that they had to move the project from church to accommodate all children the community. They moved to the nearby Mosaledi Primary School at that time with about 30 kids. The primary school was a fertile ground because kids learn fast. At that time they only taught Violin, Viola, Double Bass and Clarinet.
Through the assistance of UNISA, they were able to access more instruments, such as Trombone, Flutes, and Piano and also started teaching Voice. The instruments are on loan from Unisa and the kids are able to take them home to practice.
Today the project has seven instructors and about 150 kids that are enrolled. It is using some of the students grew up in the project and passed the Music Grade 8, which is accredited by Unisa to qualify them to teach others.
Unisa is assisting with the Salary of two instructors and the NGO is paying the other five through school fees paid by parents. “This is not sustainable because sometimes parents cannot pay on time and the NGO members have to find money to pay the teachers,” said Ms Mmope.
Currently the Music Project is housed at Ratshepo High School which offered the accommodation. “The High School is a better accommodation than the Primary School because at the Primary school we faced problems that leaners have to leave their books at school and we had to teach music during the weekend in that environment.
“A proper music school will be an ideal situation where kids can go and learn whatever musical instrument or any arts that they wish to learn.
“We need a Mmabana Cultural Centre type of place where all kids can go in and learn what they wish to learn and prosper,” she said.
Tshwane Municipality has called a Music and Arts Forum soon and it looks like there will be a proper plan to find suitable accommodation. Unisa is also promising to build music classes for the project.
The project is successful in many ways, some of the students from the project are playing in big concerts that tours the world. Mr Obakeng Moatshe, a music instructor at the Project, has been on big tours to Germany and other parts of the world.
“Through music we are able to keep our kids from the streets and turn them into big brands, however, we can only continue to so with the necessary support,” said Ms Mmope.
- Mr Obakeng Moatshe giving lessons at the Temba Musical Project in Temba.
2.The instruments used by the kids are on loan from Unisa, and they can take them home to practice which keeps them away from the streets.
3.The Project now has a variety of instruments from trumpets, saxophone, trombone and flutes and the kids love it.
4.The kids learn fast when they are started early.
5.The numbers are growing, 150 learners are enrolled to date
6.Though music, the project is able to keep the kids from the streets.