Music Lessons for Vulnerable Communities!

In October of 2020, Musicians for the World was contacted by a young, aspiring musician from Kenya. She introduced herself as Velvin and shared with us a story that touched our hearts. Vel was in love with the double bass and, not having one of her own, she was only able to play the instrument a few times per year. She dreamed to be a concert musician but was faced with a harsh reality - you cannot succeed in music only playing four times a year. She explained to us her passion, her struggle, and her devotion to the instrument, convincing us all that getting a double bass for her needed to be our top priority. 

Shortly after, we launched our campaign to find Vel a double bass. We were first contacted by a wonderful couple from The Orchestra Now, Mariya and Kaden, offering to donate a flight case, two bows, strings, and music. We were exstatic to learn that others felt the same way we did and wanted to help. Next, we had to find a bass to fill Vel's new flight case with.

After reaching out to bassists and musicians from all around the world, we finally came in contact with Gary Upton of Upton Bass. This incredible individual agreed to donate a beautiful, high quality instrument to Vel. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Upton Bass, it is a famous shop located in Mystic, Connecticut. They have provided instruments to famous artists such as Jack Black and Mumford and Sons - in other words, this was a huge deal!

Now we were faced with another challenge - how do you get a 7 foot, 85 pound instrument to Kenya in the middle of a pandemic?

We quickly sorted through all of our options and were met with many dead ends. After realizing that shipping through Fedex or DHL would have cost thousands of dollars, we decided to contact several Non-Profits working in Kenya for ideas and, to our surprise, we got an immediate answer. Sharon Runge, the Executive Director of Kenya Connect, told us she would love to help us with our dillema. Kenya Connect is an organization that provides free education in the rural areas of Kenya, so Sharon was very excited to join in on a project that directly lined up with her passions. Their organization offered to take the bass in the cargo ship to Kenya alongside their donations.

Once all of the details were worked out, MFW founders Kelley McGarry and Jesus Saenz made their way to Vel's bass in Connecticut. The very next day, they traveled with the bass to Baltimore where they would drop it off with Sharon of Kenya Connect. Their trip totaled about 15 hours, but this was nothing compared to the journey Vel's bass was about to take.

Three months passed as Vel's bass sailed to Kenya. Once there, it was greeted with heavy Covid restrictions and customs issues. It started to feel like forever, but finally, after six long months, Vel got to meet her bass! It was extremely touching to see the joy in her eyes and hear the excitement in her voice. We would like to invite you to watch the video attached labeled "Vel's Story!". Here, you will see the journey of the bass as well as Vel's reaction to recieving it (trust us, it is worth the watch)!

Thanks to Vel, this story is not just about a girl and her instrument. Once Vel got a hold of us, she put MFW in contact with the Kenyan National Youth Orchestra whom we now have the privilage to work alongside. Since meeting Vel, we have been actively working throughout Kenya, giving lessons and masterclasses to any member of the orchestra (or their friends) who wishes to join us. Vel not only advocated for herself but for every musician in Kenya. She is a very special person. 

This story is an example of what is possible when we come together. In a world that can so often push us down, it is important to remember that we can all make truly wonderful things happen - that advocating for yourself and others can and will make a difference - that dreams can come true. We want to thank everyone who has supported us through this initiative, because this is just as much your victory as it is ours. 

Links:

• Vel's Story!