Africa

 
The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.

AI & African Music Pilot Receives Over 160 Applications

10-01-2025

The Wits Innovation Centre, in partnership with the Machine Intelligence & Neural Discovery Institute at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa, has launched the pilot project AI & African Music, expanding AI datasets and applications into African contexts.

Applications Open for Artivism Fellowship

09-03-2025

Applications are now open for the newest cohort of the Emerging Leaders Artivism Alliance, welcoming artist activists living in Africa or Europe who have experienced migration or forced displacement.

Goalkeepers Event Showcases the Power of Music across Africa

07-09-2025

In early June, the Gates Foundation hosted its first Goalkeepers event in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and artists to address Africa’s progress in meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and showcase the power of music to unite people.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Music Moves Us Forward

07-09-2025

In the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the capital city of Goma sits between several mining towns and valuable minerals. Part of an active volcanic region rich in resources, the city serves as an essential transport hub for the nation—and, more importantly, as home to nearly 2 million people, many of whom have been displaced.

This past year, those 2 million have lived through extraordinarily difficult circumstances as the rebel group known as M23—the March 23 Movement—took control of the city. But perhaps none are more affected than the children. Over 2,000 schools in the region have been closed, with many thousands of students displaced and forced to witness the horrors of war, including the deaths of loved ones. As the fighting continues, these young people have been increasingly isolated and ignored, left without opportunities to connect with one another, explore their feelings, and celebrate joy.

And yet, as Workshop Leader Rene Byamungu writes, joy has persisted in North Kivu through music:

Measuring Your Program’s Results: A Practical Framework for Insight

06-04-2025

Ask any director of a music for social impact program about the program’s mission and goals, and you will receive an impassioned response about helping children, teaching music, inspiring minds, saving lives, building community, and developing social-emotional skills. There is clarity in what we all aim to achieve, built on a vision of happy students and families, beautiful music coming from every corner of a school, and meaningful stories of positively impacting children’s lives. Our vision includes accolades from school leaders or even government officials and others who are inspired by this work.

But how do we know whether we’re actually achieving these goals?

EDITORIAL
Navigating Constraint with Dignity: Lessons from Kinshasa’s “Positive Fatalism”

06-04-2025

What can we learn from people who live in one of the most constrained urban environments in the world—and still find ways to make life possible?

Essaouira World Music Festival Promotes Human Rights

06-04-2025

On June 19–21, the annual Essaouira Gnaoua and World Music Festival in Morocco will return with a diverse program of live music and events that promote human rights.

Call for Proposals: Spaces of Culture

06-04-2025

Arts and cultural organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa interested in partnering with European artists and cultural professionals are encouraged to apply for EUNIC’s Spaces of Culture program.

UNDP timbuktoo Creatives Lab Opens Applications

05-07-2025

We’re sharing this one just under the wire! Applications are due today for the timbuktoo Creatives Lab, a mentorship program run by the United Nations Development Programme and Craft and Design Institute to help grow creative businesses in South Africa and across the continent.

No Matter the Medium, Ensemble Learning Makes Leaders of Us All

04-02-2025

For many organizations outside of our shared community, leadership is viewed as a title or formal role—something to aspire to professionally. When it comes to youth empowerment, though, it means a bit more. We see it in the everyday actions, habits, and mindsets that empower individuals to make a difference. Leadership, for us, is about inspiring others simply by living your values.

At Enabling Leadership (EL), we strive to support young people as they find their way toward those actions and values.

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