The passion behind the music (Part 5 of 5): More "playing for change"

I started the week with a look at musicians from around the world who were featured in the multimedia music project "Playing for Change," which created a separate non-profit organization called the Playing For Change Foundation which builds music schools for children around the world.

Playing for Change logo

The organization's goal was to "inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music," featuring all local musicians.  They weren't famous people, many of them were musicians off the streets, but some of them came to be known largely because of the project.

The foundation is dedicated to creating and supporting music schools, mainly in developing countries. Three music schools and a total of seven music programs have been created since 2008:

• Ntonga Music School, Gugulethu, South Africa
• Bizung music and dance school, Tamale, Ghana
• Ecole de musique de Kirina, Kirina, Mali
• Tintale Village Teaching Center Tinatle, Nepal
• Mitrata Nepal village Music Program, Kathmandu, Nepal
• The Hari Kul Music School, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Intore Culture and Music Center, Kigali, Rwanda

 But, going back to the first article in this series, it takes a special kind of person to care about the music that much, and what music does to enrich our lives and the lives of others around the world.  It takes a special kind of person with a true passion for their art to enrich lives in that way.  It can be enriched by world-famous musicians, those trying to do something with their music in clubs where they play for tips or beers, local musicians playing on sidewalks or dirt pathways where all they get out of it might consist of  loose change or the odd candy bar or two.

That's the literal definition of "playing for change."