One instrument, a world of difference: How the gift of a piano is creating educational opportunity in Ethiopia

“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen

Songs that move us to tears. Vibrant, upbeat tunes that get us up on our feet. Nostalgic melodies that recall a multitude of shared memories with loved ones – it’s no secret that music has the power to move humankind in a very special way.

However, while music may seem to be an indispensable part of our lives, not everywhere in the world has the immediate access that we are so familiar with.

A special gift of music

But thanks to non-profit organisations like Pharo International, some rural communities in the world are getting to enjoy the gift of music at their fingertips. The UK-based foundation held a charity concert in London that raised 4,500 pounds – the proceeds went to the purchase of an upright piano for a girls’ boarding school in north-west Ethiopia.

Pharo Foundation is also working to design a piano class for the school as part of its new creative arts curriculum; they have brought in a local pianist to teach the girls how to play the new instrument. As some of the girls come from war-torn backgrounds or have been orphaned, education is an important tool to provide opportunity and hope to their situations.

The girls were even treated to a free concert of Ethiopian and international compositions by internationally acclaimed pianist Girma Yifrashewa, the director of the Ashenafi Kebede performing arts centre at Addis Ababa University. The Ethiopian musician was thrilled to be performing in his own country to bring the joy of music to students.

Yifrashewa’s own musical journey was no easy feat. His first piano was also a gift, given in 1995 by the Irish Christian Brothers, who had also supported his music studies in Bulgaria. Yifrashewa thus understands well the incredible effect that belief and support can have on a young musician – he has also offered to return to conduct piano masterclasses for the school in the future.

“Music is an international language and so understanding it presents opportunity and exposure,” he explained. School principal Benson Majiwa shares this sentiment and is excited for students to gain exposure through music.

Bringing joy to learners

Here at the Patatas, we also believe in the impact that a single gift can have on an entire community. CaseStudy is the instrument we’ve developed specially for classrooms in rural communities – our portable school-in-a-box learning management system is easy, cost-effective and can engage 50 students at a time. Each kit connects with up to 20 devices within an unobstructed 50-metre range, enabling digital accessibility for all.

Just like how the boarding school girls had the opportunity for inspiration through Girma Yifrashewa’s music, students using CaseStudy will also gain exposure to quality content beyond their country. While educators can upload their own curricula and learning materials to the network, each kit also comes preloaded with world-class material from Khan Academy and Wikipedia. This gives students in rural areas the privilege of accessing these resources at their fingertips, unbounded by their location.

CaseStudy’s connection to a single secure network is its key to operating smoothly, even without Internet access. It also comes with 4TB of storage space, which is fantastic news for learners who thrive on audio-visual content. Along with CaseStudy’s lag-free experience, this allows students to easily stream music or videos that they can download into their personal devices, giving them access to these resources on their own time without over-reliance on Internet connectivity.

Even without a physical piano delivery, students can still enjoy their favourite music on their learning journey, creating an engaging educational experience sure to spark greater joy in learning.

While anything digital may come with technical apprehension, our dedicated support team is always ready to come through with assistance. We’ll troubleshoot any issues that may arise, so that educators can focus on monitoring students’ progress and creating the best learning experience possible.

Playing our part for change

The gift of a piano has transformed education for Ethiopian students, proving that a single instrument can spark immense opportunity for students. Similarly, CaseStudy is an incredible development with the ability to empower rural learners through education. With the right tools and inspiration, endless opportunities can be unlocked for those in need, allowing them to realise their full potential.

Sometimes, all it takes is just people who believe. If you’re interested to play your part and bring the gift of education to a rural community through CaseStudy, reach out to us and we’d love to connect with you.

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