“Music for Youth Ghana” fundraiser to come off in May

March 5, 2018

A classical music event, dubbed, “Music 4 Youth Ghana,” has been scheduled to come off on 5^th of May, 2018.The event organisers aim to create awareness for the Nneka Youth Foundation and the Music Therapy Association of Ghana.

According Mrs. Veronica Bain-Derby, Management Consultant for ABAR Consult Ltd. and a professional singer respectively, the objective for organising the event is to assist both foundations with achieving their individual objectives.

“I support everything about Nneka Youth Foundation. I have volunteered for the last several years in the Volta Region with the camp having the opportunity to spent time with the kids and to understand their challenges with living in the village. The founder, Mrs. Cecilia Fiaka is a power house whose heart and soul goes into rearing up the youth from her region. It is my belief that the Vocational Educational Program (VEP) initiative to support young mothers, is important to the development of the youth in Ghana.”

She added that another reason for putting up the event together was to promote classical music in Ghana.

“Classical music is very much underrated in Ghana, even though there is a large community of classical music enthusiasts. In addition to that, I want to give the Ghanaian musicians an opportunity to show the world their talents. I feel they aren’t getting the proper accolades they rightfully deserve. Ghanaians are also classically trained with stunning voices and can play beautifully with instruments. I’m looking forward to bridging the gap to assist the public in acknowledging these lovely musicians and providing the credit they deserve in their homeland.”

Many of the classically trained singers and musicians will be individuals who have studied at the Music Therapy Association of Ghana. MTAG was established in January 2014 with pioneering efforts by Mawuyrami Ocloo (nee Akoto) –Ghana’s first trained music therapist and with letters of support and recommendations from the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT). Given the importance and novelty of this discipline in Ghana, the then Minister of Health, Honorable Sherry Ayittey approved the practice of music therapy in Ghana under professional health disciplines, specifically Regenerative Health. Thus Music Therapy is currently an approved health profession in Ghana. MTAG is also a member of the World Federation of Music Therapy and has thus placed Ghana on the world map with other countries practicing Music Therapy.

The event scheduled to take place on May 5th, 2018, at the Lab Restaurant on Boundary Road, East Legon. The events of the day will be the first of its kind with Ghanaian and international classical musicians represented as well.

Mr. Kweku Aacht, founder of the Awotwi Movement and one of the event organisers discussed his inspiration behind him partaking in this event. Mr. Aacht shared he didn’t have the opportunity to be with his parents when he was growing up and Nneka Youth Foundation is helping young mothers to be able to have their children with them while creating an income for their families.

“I wasn’t raised by my parents; I was raised by a white British family in the UK. And I think with all the work I do of giving back is a result of my understanding that my life could have gone a different way for me. So Nneka Youth Foundation inspires young mothers by creating an opportunity for the children to grow up with their mums. By creating this consistency and foundation, these kids have a better chance at success in their young lives,” he explained.

“What I didn’t get was that kind of push in terms of those elements, like music and arts were the things I loved doing at that time as a young person, but there wasn’t really that kind of push then,” he added.

The event will have two faces; “Just A Touch of Class”, which will comprise of classical music and cocktail and high tea from noon to about 3pm, and the Awotwi Movement’s “Generations,” to pay tribute to Ghana’s Legendary Ebo Taylor at 8:30pm. All at the same venue.