After several weeks of internal preparations we finally got to actually start our project work with the consent of the schools and the Ministry of Education representatives.

 School were asked to prepare lists of 40 students from grades 3-5 fitting into the previously set criteria of children at risk. During four auditioning days conducted by two teams of Beit Almusica teachers and graduates, over 180 children were auditioned. From these 100 participants were accepted for the AACT project: 25 from each of the four schools. Due to the lists provided by the schools, and the results of the auditions, the AACT project features a majority of girls.

In consideration of the wishes of the children and following the recommendations of the music teachers, the students were disseminated onto the different instruments: oud, durbaka, qanoun, violin, cello, clarinet, and flute. Each student group from each school features all instruments available.

Professional teachers for all instruments were recruited, and received guidance and explanation as for the nature of the project and its aims and the specific challenges faced by these children.

Even before the actual teaching started, all AACT children and four teachers from each school were invited to visit one of the concerts of the “oud Days Festival” of Beit Almusica held in November/ December 2011.

For many of the children it was the first time ever to hear and see live music, and they went home with many new impressions. One of the principals reported that the kids continued to sing and clap hands all the way home.

And then, on the 05.12.2011 the music lessons finally started. It had been quite a challenge to itegrate the 100 AACT students into the regular schedule of the conservatory already featuring over 400 students, but the professional team at Beit Almusica did a great job! At that time, also the social empowerment meetings for the AACT kids started at the schools, conducted and organized by our project partner Duroob.

Of course, not everything is easy, and there are many challenges. Sometimes children start and do not want to continue, or parents take them out. Some need support in transportation, and with some we cannot communicate directly, only via the school. For many situations we do find solutions, for some we do not. It is a complex project within a complex reality.

First feedbacks from our music teachers were overwhelmingly positive. One was saying that she teaches at many different places where parents pay a lot of money to have their kids learn music, but the AACT kids are amazingly motivated, concentrated and looking forward to learn and make music. It is like water to the desert.

This was also the impression of Ms. Preetha Naranayan from the Guildhall School of Music who conducted a workshop for creative learning for a group of students from the project on the 23.12.2011. Students and teachers were great participants, and we certainly hope to do this again! Lots of thanks to Preetha and Guildhall for doing this workshop with us!

And with this we went into the holidays, and just came back on the 9^th of January 2012.

Regardless of whether you choose to continue supporting the AACT project with time, money, or good will, we are determined to continue this important work in 2011/2012 and to be great partners with you and responsible and effective stewards of your hope, time and resources.

Thank you!  

Working Together for a Happier Childhood: BONUS DAY: Wednesday, October 19 2011

 “When I play music, I am flying in another world”

Dear Friends,

We are excited to inform you about a special opportunity: on Wednesday October 19, GlobalGiving  (a non-profit that connects donors with grassroots projects around the world to make a high impact) will match all donations at 30% made on this day. 

We would like to encourage you to donate to our AACT Project (Affirmative Action for Children Today), which contributes towards promoting a positive personal, social and cultural development of Palestinian children living in Israel through music.

Through the Affirmative Action for Children Today (AACT) we support children growing up in circumstances of social and economic disadvantage to reach their full potential through musical education. Musical education benefits children in developing basic skills such as concentration, counting, listening, and cooperation while also promoting understanding of language, improving the ability to recall information, and creating an environment more conductive to learning. Providing children with constructive alternatives for reaching their full human potential contributes towards bringing about positive change for their families and communities. Since the project was launched two years ago we have been able to support 60 children and their families. Now the project goes into its second round, this time for 100 children from three different communities and their families.

For donations please follow this link: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/support-disadvantaged-palestinian-children/  

We are finally back to school and already full into the renewed and improved AACT project. After a short summer vacation we started full speed with the preparation work for the project. The initial meetings with the principals of the final four schools to participate were highly promising. They all talked about the immense importance of such project for their school and the kind of impact they imagine this can have on students beyond the project scope. The principal in Ibillin, Ms. Taghreed Sheikh Ahmad, spoke about one of her students who had been part of the first AACT pilot and continued to study on a scholarship provided by Beit Almusica. He used to be a shy and introverted kid facing hard times being accepted by peers. At the end of the academic year 2010/2011 he stood up in front of over 500 students and teachers in the school yard and played the clarinet, receiving great applause. As she said, this was one of the most moving moments in her career as educator.

If you want to support us offering this opportunity to other children as well, please follow this link: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/support-disadvantaged-palestinian-children/

All agreed that music as an art was still widely underestimated in the Palestinian community in Israel. We were actually positively surprised by the welcoming and enthusiastic reaction of the school management stating just how much they were missing this kind of activity. All four schools are state run schools situated on the lowest three clusters of socio economic evaluation in Israel with mixed populations of Muslim, Christian and Druze. The number of Palestinian children in situations of risk and distress in Israel is growing at a much faster pace than new programs and social services offered to them. With your generous support, we will be able to offer Palestinian children at risk a happier childhood and a perspective for the future.

For donations please follow this link: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/support-disadvantaged-palestinian-children/

One of the main problems that Palestinian children in Israel face is the alarming socio-economic situation they have to endure. The state of Palestinian children is serious: around 60% are poor and 73% are at poverty risk according to figures published by the Central Bureau of Statistics. In addition to a substandard school system that lies 20 years behind its Jewish counterpart, Palestinian children in Israel lack meaningful after-school activities conductive to their well-being. This has obvious implications on the social and economic development of the Palestinian population, who has the lowest socio-economic status of all ethnic groups and the highest unemployment rates.

Regardless of whether you choose to continue supporting the AACT project with time, money, or good will, we are determined to continue this important work in 2011/2012 and to be great partners with you and responsible and effective stewards of your hope, time and resources.

Thank you!

Update 9: September 2011

Back on track and rolling!

We are finally back to school and already full into the renewed and improved AACT project. After a short summer vacation we started full speed with the preparation work for the project. We have now chosen the final four schools to participate in the project according to previously established criteria of the social economic situation of the student population and the commitment of school principals. Two local schools in Shefa-Amr – the Jabour Jabour and “C” elementary schools, in Ibillin the “E” elementary school, and in Tamra the “Albironi” elementary school are now part of the project.

The initial meetings with the principals were highly promising. They all talked about the immense importance of such project for their school and the kind of impact they imagine this can have on students beyond the project scope. The principal in Ibillin, Ms. Taghreed Sheikh Ahmad, spoke about one of her students who had been part of the first AACT pilot and continued to study on a scholarship provided by Beit Almusica. He used to be a shy and introverted kid facing hard times being accepted by peers. At the end of the academic year 2010/2011 he stood up in front of over 500 students and teachers in the school yard and played the clarinet, receiving great applause. As she said, this was one of the most moving moments in her career as educator.

All agreed that music as an art was still widely underestimated in the Palestinian community in Israel. We were actually positively surprised by the welcoming and enthusiastic reaction of the school management stating just how much they were missing this kind of activity. All four schools are state run schools situated on the lowest three clusters of socio economic evaluation in Israel with mixed populations of Muslim, Christian and Druze.

There are several improvements to the first pilot; the first and most important is that the project is now running in two complimentary tracks – music and social development. Beit Almusica is running project management and the musical side including music classes, special workshops and concerts. Our newly found professional partner for the social side is the Duroob Institute for leadership development and social growth. Duroob has extensive experience in working with schools – both with teachers and students – and with populations at risk. In the AACT project, Duroob will work on social evaluations and empowerment, ensuring professional monitoring of the social changes we hope to achieve in children.

Also new and improved in the project is the integration of the different social circles surrounding the children in the project, starting from their families, their teachers to their peers and the music teachers at Beit Almusica. The ultimate aim is to bring about the maximum positive change with the children that will be sustainable with the support of the different environments. The musical focus is on Arabic music and instruments like Qanoon, Oud, Durbaka (percussion) as well as cello, violin and wind instruments.

Over the next two months we will choose the project participants according to both social and musical criteria; get the support of the municipalities and educational authorities and start teaching in November.

Regardless of whether you choose to continue supporting the AACT project with time, money, or good will, we are determined to continue this important work in 2011/2012 and to be great partners with you and responsible and effective stewards of your hope, time and resources.

Thank you!