Feb 19, 2010

The Bizung School of Music & Dance is now open!

Our trip thus far has been beyond words. The people of Ghana have been amazing. We have been welcomed to their beautiful country with open arms and hearts! Upon arriving in the city of Tamale, in the Northern Region of Ghana, we met up with one of our favorite people, PFC Band Member and Tamale native Mohammed Alidu. "Alidu," as we call him, has, along with his brother Abrahman, spear-headed the PFCF Ghana Project! This is my first time to Ghana, and the feeling of pulling up to a beautiful, completed school building was incredible! They have done an unbelievable job of motivating the community around the project and so we walked up to a finished building and were able to get to work.

One of the first things that we did in Ghana was pay a visit to a store that is part of the Youth Cultural Center in Tamale.  At this shop, the locals print and cut their own fabric, and then they will sew gorgeous garments for you right there!  We were blown away when we realized that they had printed our PFC Logo onto some fabric as a surprise for us- and they wanted to make outfits for us to wear on the opening day!  It was pretty amazing, they took our measurements right then and there, and the following day we picked up PFC Dresses for the girls, and PFC Shirts for the guys!!! 

The opening ceremony was a spectacular day!  It was one of the proudest days ever in the history of the Playing For Change Foundation.  Alidu and Abrahman put together an amazing program of speakers, including the Minister of Arts & Culture, and performances of traditional Ghanian Music and Dance.  Even though it was around 100 degrees outside, the energy in the air was palpable and the day was a massive success!!  We were even invited to the Chief of Tamale’s Palace later that afternoon to be his guests at a music performance.  It was a true honor.

Pictured above are: Shauna Murray, Whitney Kroenke, and Thea Nash of the Playing For Change Foundation, and the first 4 instructors of the Bizung School: Prince Mahama, Ahmed Abdul Somed, Benedict Ali Kolaan, Abdul Rahaman Mohamed and Mohammed Alidu.

We couldn’t be happier with the state of affairs in Ghana, and are looking forward to the amazing art that is going to be produced there, at PFCF's second school on the continent of Africa- The Bizung School of Music & Dance!!  Thank you Ghana, for an awesome couple of days; Cape Town here we come!!!

-Whitney

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