Mphumzi and Ntonga Music School

Mphumzi has been playing drums at the Ntonga music school since the age of ten and was pushed by his uncle, who is a professional Marimba player, to attend the music school. He is now convinced that this instrument is going to change his life and will help him to live a bright future. Mphumzi wants to travel the world to play music and thinks music is helping to reduce crime in the townships. Like most of the children in Gugs, the crime in the township and the lack of jobs worries him and he thinks having more music school would help to improve the situation.

In the spring of 2009, the Playing For Change Foundation opened its first music school in Gugulethu, South Africa, a township ten miles (16 km) outside of Cape Town. Like many of the townships formed during the government-imposed Apartheid that lasted from 1948 to 1994, Gugulethu is a community in need of assistance and inspiration. South Africans are still striving to repair the damage and injustice created during Apartheid, and the Ntonga Music School is setting a strong example of how the country can come together to create a brighter future for its people. Today the people of Gugulethu are full of life and spirit, but have many obstacles to overcome. With drugs, crime, poverty, and disease prevalent in the township, the Ntonga Music School offers hope and possibility for the community and its youth. The Ntonga School is striving to empower the people of Gugulethu by creating positive opportunities for their community, as well as foster a greater connection to the rest of the world through the sharing of their music. The school is working to connect South Africans beyond the boundaries of Gugulethu; it is a source of pride and inspiration not only for the township, but also for the country.