"It has been proven that music and sound have healing properties and we work towards bringing this power to the children," says co-founder of The Sound Space (TSS), Vishala Khurana. Through their intervention in the past, students have shown tangible progress in terms of several behavioural parameters such as imitation, attention span and communication.
To continue bringing music to children’s lives, a student-driven fundraising initiative nurtured by TSS is now aiming to provide music education to students from lower-income backgrounds. Money raised from the one-of-a-kind live virtual concert - Bulandiyaan - will go directly to funding classes for over 1,000 NGO children.
The fundraiser concert, scheduled on August 15, hopes to provide a holistic childhood to students of non-profit organisations such as Akanksha Foundation, Jai Vakeel Foundation and Seva Sadan Society.
The concert is a representation of the support TSS has built to aid children of lower-income backgrounds. "We realised that as a community, we have music as our superpower and can use it to ensure that it continues to touch as many lives as possible," says Kamakshi Khurana, co-founder of TSS.
Talking about the inclusive project that Bulandiyaan is, Kamakshi says from day one, the students have been involved in every detail of the project - its name, look, feel and technicalities. Besides, apart from a core committee, every participant has taken on the challenge of raising funds through independent projects.
The founders hope that the endeavour would help open up possibilities of a wider reach among the under-privileged. Their ultimate aim is that every child in India should have access to music as part of their education in a meaningful and structured way.
"This requires getting into the veins of the education system, the government and non-government organisations. Bulandiyaan is a starting point," says Kamakshi, adding that over the last five years, TSS has been running music programmes in non-profit organisations, working with children from under-privileged backgrounds.
It has also used music to enhance the lives of children who are hearing-impaired and recovering from physical and mental disabilities as well as diseases such as cancer. "We develop modules, programmes, interactive sessions and performances-based learning which we share with schools, NGOs and corporate organisations. Teachers and participants alike have reported improved cognitive abilities, better understanding and enhanced concentration," Vishala adds.
Music education through the programme amounts to Rs 500 per year, pricing one class for each student at only Rs 25, bringing them 20 classes a year. On August 15 at 6 pm, 25 students between the ages of eight and 16 years will put together a Hindustani classical and folk music concert to raise funds for the initiative. The concert hopes to raise Rs 6 lakh to support its NGO students.
When & Where
Registration for the event is free: https://insider.in/bulandiyaan-by-the-sound-space--aug15-2020/event
You can donate for the cause here: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/help-us-raise-funds-for-providing-music-education-to-over-1000-students?payment=form