Six Week Progress Report

I can't believe that I am six weeks into my project here in Meru! Time is disappearing and I am doing my best to take advantage of every opportunity I have left. Here is what progress has been made over the past six weeks:

Bishop Imathiu Secondary School: We have retained 87% of the 114 students we originally started in our program. By the end of the July, we added an additional hour of teaching at the school and offered group lessons for each instrument. Each student received three to four hours of group lesson time each week. The term ended on Tuesday August 4th and school resumes in September. When school is back in session, the principal has agreed to dedicate two hours each day to music classes and allow for an additional two hours after school, at the teacher's discretion.

Bishop Imathiu Primary School and Kithoka Primary School: The students have become quite proficient on the recorder and our biggest stride in the music teaching is the involvement we have from the classroom teachers. One of the teachers at Kithoka Primary team teaches with our music teacher, Andrew, and helps to lead some of the lessons. She has been a great asset to the classroom, because of her understanding of the children. The shortage of teachers at this school made it very compelling to have the principal agree to dedicate more time to teach music in these schools.

Thiiri Center for Culture, Music and Community Development: The Thiiri band is becoming stronger each week. The band meets every Monday from 10AM-3PM and several of the members come each Wednesday and Saturday in addition to the regular Monday time. When the students have their school breaks (each August, December and April), the Thiiri center runs a day camp for the local youth. This month, they have added a music program and over sixty of the students from the high school registered and will receive additional musical training.

The community has been very supportive and these kids are doing an amazing job. The programs in the local schools have the right support from the administration and I am very confident about the Kenyan music teachers I work with on a daily basis. This program will be in good hands and I hope that other musicians from the US and Europe would want to come here and spend time with these teachers and with the people in this community.

My last three weeks here will be working closely with the Thiiri Center to help them realize their central role in the music program in this community. We will define their mission and setup their community music school to be effective in the community and serve as the perfect model throughout Kenya.