Spotted on Mike's Oud Forums, I thought it ought to be reposted here:

ROAM and ANIM (Afghan Charity for Music)

A few months ago I heard about a great charity effort in Afghanistan. In the 1990s, after years of war, the Taliban took control of the country and banned music. They destroyed instruments of all types and drove musicians, teachers and makers underground or out of the country.

Since the Taliban were unseated, music has tried to come back to the country, but for the most part there is no longer a structure for people to learn or support music.

Monash University in Australia with the help of Dr. Sarmast has started a program to restore music to Afghanistan. You can read more on the links below.

A part of this program is a music high school called the Afghan National Institute of Music. Here they hope to educated orphaned and poor children to play classical and traditional music. Their dream is that the first generation of students will form the foundations of a new generation of teachers, performers and supporters of music.

I love this program because it offers not only help today, but it offers a plan for the future of these children and way for them to give back as they grow up.

Our ethnic music community of performers and dancers in Japan is now supporting this group through local events, donations and drives to find and send instruments to the school.

I am writing here because I hope it may inspire some of the talented people who love Ouds and music to reach out to ROAM and ANIM and offer your support too.

I hope you'll join in supporting this fantastic cause in any way you can. Even it if it just to share these links with people to let them know what great work this group is doing.

Thanks for reading and let's keep music alive for all of humanity, no matter what country or condition they live in.

www.roamproject.org

News report

Rubab Player
Sasurai-Gakki
Tokyo Ethnic Arts Community