The Song Exchange Project

 

About 10 years ago Roberta was reflecting on what kind of work she could do that would make her truly happy and also make a contribution to others. A thought jumped immediately to mind - the work would involve traveling to cultures other than her own, teaching the songs she has learned and gathering new ones to teach once she returned home. She would connect with others through the medium of song. In her mind she named this work "The Song Exchange Project" and didn't think about it again until she was invited to teach at Daraja Academy in KENYA. She had an extraordinary experience there in February of 2014. She thinks of the girls often as she teaches their songs in Swahili and Samburu at Community Sings here at home.

 

Then she was invited on a trip to Haiti!

 

THE SONG EXCHANGE PROJECT became a reality.

 

For the first 2 weeks of January, 2015 Roberta participated in a trip organized by Nat and Pam Benjamin described in this wonderful article. It involved teaching and learning at Sister Flora's Orphanage and at the Community Center in Il A Vache, Haiti.

 

Click here for information about the orphanage.

 

And here for a link to an article about THE SONG EXCHANGE PROJECT.

 

Upon return from Haiti she learned that she had been invited back to Kenya to work with students at Daraja Academy and also children involved in The Simama Project. She was very excited to see the Daraja students again and fell in love with the children of the Simama Project who are transitioning from living on the street to going back to school in a supportive, healthy environment. She also had the opportunity to work with Kenyan teachers who teach the curriculum created by the Children's World Peace Organization, She travelled with them to area schools and worked with over 1000 young people, sharing and learning songs of peace.

 

THE SONG EXCHANGE PROJECT is growing and evolving. 

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During the winter of 2016 she was able to spend a month in Africa - two weeks in Nanyuki, Kenya where she reconnected with the teachers and students she had met and worked with before and then two weeks in St Francis Bay, South Africa where she worked with students at a local high school, two primary schools, several churches and at local preschools, in addition to sharing songs with women who are part of the knitting collective Nomvula's Knitters 

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Her travels in February and March of 2017 took her back to Kenya for expanded work in Nairobi as well as in the Nanyuki area and to Italy where she taught a workshop and gathered songs. In 2018 she continued her work in Nairobi and Nanyuki, traveled to Livingstone, Zambia, where she worked with the women of the Zambezi Doll Company and at an area primary school, to Nagold, Germany, where she worked with middle schoolers and adults and to Italy for a return visit. In 2019 she returned to Haiti and traveled to Cuba for the first time. 

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In 2020 her plan was to travel to Brazil but the trip had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead, she traveled virtually, learning and sharing online in Brazil and elsewhere, with singers and song leaders from around the world. 

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In January of 2024 Roberta was finally able to travel to Brazil where she attended a retreat with Música do Círculo, studying vocal improvisation, body percussion and how to create community using those tools. In March she traveled to South Africa with a group of song leaders and singers to experience the rich music, culture, history, tradition and people of South Africa. 

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For photos and more information about her travels for The Song Exchange Project please read her blogposts.

 

 

If you would like to help make these trips a reality, please make a donation.  If one of the amounts below does not suit your needs, simply log in to your PayPal account and send your donation to roberta@bewellsing.com.

 

If you would prefer to donate through a fiscal agent so that your donation is tax deductable please contact Roberta directly so that she can explain the process.