Music has always echoed in the Usambara mountains of Tanzania – from the rhythm of footsteps on hiking trails, to village songs passed from generation to generation. Now, that tradition is taking on a new form. In the remote villages of Mambo and Mtae, school children are using their holiday breaks not just for rest, but for rhythm and self expression.

In 2023, the NGO Uvi Foundation for Education started a music project in the villages for children who were interested in dancing, singing and recording videos. Their first video is a cover of ‘Chasing Cars’ by Northern Irish-Scottish rock band Snow Patrol.

Uvi Foundation co-founder Dagmara Ikiert, who moved to Tanzania from Poland in 2020, said that the foundation was set up to support children aged 14–18 who dropped out of school, mainly due to poverty, family hardship, forced marriage, lack of access or a lack of understanding about the importance of education.

As the project grew stronger through increased community support from parents and local leaders, the foundation began sponsoring some students by covering their private education fees and school supplies.

Dagmara came up with the idea of singing and creating music videos during the holidays to reach more potential sponsors for other kids, and to showcase the students’ hidden talents.

The first song Dagmara taught the children was ‘Chasing Cars’. “I was sitting in the office and I was singing ‘Chasing Cars’ to myself and a few kids were around me. It was the beginning of the first tutoring session, they picked it up and started humming the music with me,” she said.

‘Starlight’ by Westlife was the second song – a personal favourite for Dagmara. To her, the meaning of the song is that “we can all be starlights”, we can walk together through all difficulties and hopes, we can be anything we want to be.

Dagmara said: “I found all these kids in their darkest time and now most of them are in private school, waiting to shine like stars and go further to complete their futures.”

Naima, 15, a student from Bagamoyo secondary school, who came from Mambo village, told Harbingers’: “When I am singing it’s like I get a new world to learn and gain confidence, I also get to be creative.”

The aim of the Uvi Foundation’s projects is to promote creativity as a way of finding peace and security for children from disadvantaged and difficult backgrounds, and to improve their chances in life.

Some children have dropped out of school, don’t receive much support from their family, or their parents have died. Other obstacles they may face include forced marriage, drug use, gender-based abuse and child labour.

“When they’re given opportunities and tools, they can accomplish exactly the same as any other child in the world,” Dagmara said.