Rubina Khan profiles Mewsic India Foundation that aims to set up Music Centres in Mumbai Slums.
Array of hope for the children residing near dumping ground Govandi, Mankhurd and slums of Dharavi are now experiencing the joys of music. Thanks to Mewsic India Foundation for the launch of Music Centre in Dharavi. Courtesy goes to, Brett Lee famous Australian cricketer, who is been coming down to India and for over 20 years and has been deeply touched by the people and their hospitality.
“The foundation was launched in 2011, with a focus on setting up Music Centres in Slums and NGOs so that underprivileged children could have the opportunity to learn music says Emily Harrison, the executive director and Founder of Innovaid Advisor service. Currently Foundation run 4 Mewsic Centres (3 in Mumbai – Govandi, Dharavi & Mankhurd and one in Lucknow, along with a mobile Mewsic Centre/Bus in Jaipur) Each centre reaches out to 50–75 children. She also mentioned that they are in the process of opening 3 new centres in Mumbai.
According to Emily “Mewsic India foundation has therapy programmes like Healing, Education and Empowering. Children enrolled are often child labourers, orphans, rag pickers and slum dwellers. These kids are needy and have no other opportunity to learn or educated about music. We have also been pioneering Music Therapy with cancer patients at St Jude’s in Parel and have had music therapists from Australia providing daily Therapy to these patients and their families,
International research validates the impact of music therapy in reducing pain, helping with anxiety, expressing one’s self and overall wellbeing.
During our visit to the Ngo, while discussing with children and their parents, we realised that the children are empowered and confident through the program. Parents stated that their kids perform in front of crowds regularly and many have even been on TV. This does wonders for their confidence and personal development.
14 year old, Vijay Kamble had no interest in studies and ended up being a school dropout. He joined Mewsic India two years back with the dance program and managed to reach the third round of Dance India Dance. “Mewsic India foundation has really helped our child to concentrate on his capabilities of dance but also on his education”, said Vijay’s parents smilingly.
“Dance inspires me to do better in life and one day I want to be like my dance tutor” says Vijay Kamble.
Rahul, 12 year old boy learning guitar at the Mewsic Center in Govandi says, “My tutor is my Idol and I aspire to be a musician and perform on a big stage.” His Mewsic tutor mentioned that “Rahul doesn’t leave his guitar from the moment he enters the centre. Either he keeps practicing the songs taught to him or he keeps experimenting different styles of playing.”
When asked to his parents about the improvement, Sangeeta, Rahul’s mother states “He was an introvert and would spoke less and shied away, but after joining the foundation he has become very confident and more communicative”.
To know more about the work of the foundation we had some discussion with the teachers of Mewsic, One of the tutor said, ‘their students have weekly lessons at the Mewsic Centre and then also rehearse up to 6 days a week’. A primary outcome is that the kids are engaged in a positive activity in a nurturing environment – ensuring they are kept off the streets and away from undesirable activity. Between the ages of 8-16 children are vulnerable to getting involved in the wrong company, drugs and crimes. Mewsic foundation helps them learn, develop and grow in a positive way.
Teacher also gave an example of a student who used to regularly ‘bunk’ school and get up to mischief in Dharavi with his ‘mates’ . He was going down a dangerous path in life where he could get caught up in petty crime and drugs. Eventually he was enrolled into the foundation and He discovered a passion for the keyboard.
