Instruments to musicians in refugee camps
When war or other disasters force people to leave, musicians have to leave their instruments behind with most of their belongings. Kakuma Refugee Camp has many talented musicians but very few instruments and this is what we want to do something about.
We are mobilizing support for instruments to refugee musicians and to establish the first music center in a refugee camp fully run by the refugee musicians themselves.
With support from Grieg Foundation and in collaboration with Give Music A Chance we are now working to send a container with recycled instruments to Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
The next step is to build Kakuma Music Center where musicians themselves give the refugee community access to music and music activities.
Do you want to support?
Join our team
Support us
Vipps 823011
Org.nr 931 385 364
Kakuma Refugee Camp
Kakuma refugee camp in Kenyan is the home to more than 250.000 refugees from the region.
The camp is over 30 years old, and many refugees have been there for decades.
It is located in a desert with daily temperatures around 40 degrees.
This "city" has many musicians but few instruments.
Kakuma Music Center
Will have rehearsal rooms, stage, classrooms, and studio for the musicians in Kakuma refugee camp.
Music experiences and activities for the inhabitants of the camp and for the local population in the area.
Music education for children and adults.
The center will be managed by the refugee musicians themselves, and the activities at the center will provide income so that the center can continue without additional support after we have supported the construction of the center and filled it with instruments.
Our partners
Mwanamuziki At Kakuma
(Mwanamuziki = Musician in Swahili)
The project has been developed by group of refugee musicians and producers.
They are now working to organize the majority of the professional and semi-professional musicians in a musicians association. The aim is to give access to the Kakuma Music Center facilities and equipment for all the musicians in Kakuma Refugee Camp.
The group has designed the Music Center building and identified the prioritized instruments and equipment.
The Music Center is managed by the musicians' association (MAK) and the inclusive constitution has been developed to ensure a sustainable and democratic management structure for the Kakuma Music Center.
About Refugeemusic Norway
Refugeemusic Norway is dedicated to support refugee musicians and raise funds for the establishment of the Kakuma Music Center. By mobilizing musicians and institutions to join the fundraising we hope to raise enough money to construct the center and fill it with the instruments and equipment.
The idea of this project came when the musician and anthropologist Ingvill Morlandstoe was in Kakuma Refugee Camp in 2022 to research the role and place for music and musicians in the camp. She found a large number of musicians but a lack of instruments and in discussions with refugee musicians the idea to try to fundraise for the Kakuma Music Center started growing.