Almost two years have passed since the January 12^th earthquake devastated most of the Port au Prince and Leogan area, and much continues unchanged.

When foreigners come, they see at first-hand that the catastrophe was not the source, but only a catalyst of the already existing social-economic problems plaguing the Island. The most asked question is “is there hope?”

After seeing endless tent cities still housing six hundred thousand people, heaps of trash on most streets and what seems to be a society built on chaos, it is difficult for people to see hope.

Remy - Music Teacher

Remy is one of the persons that makes me see hope. He is the example that people are creative, take initiative and can influence society to change. Remy is a guitar player who decided to take action rather than wait, and dedicate himself to help others. He decided to teach music/guitar to children from tent cities as a way to give them an education and also give them safe haven from the harmful environment they must face everyday.

At the beginning of this year, after the Haiti Music School workshops, he began the course. He had no guitars, no paper, no chalkboard or anything to teach with. But he had hope, and a group of 15 children eager to learn.

After some donations from Brazil were organized to support Remy’s idea, now there are seven guitars that he is using to teach kids. He is teaching them every Monday, with a bright smile on his mouth and knowing what he is doing is helping some children to have hope to their future.

Perhaps he is a long shot from the music school that he would like to have, with not much structure or materials to teach the kids. But at least he is doing what very few are willing to do and is living proof that there is hope.

Written by Ruben Celeti – working in Port-au-Prince with MAIS // Edited by Matheus Ortega - Global Changemaker

It is with great joy that I can say that the seed of the Haiti Music School is now becoming a beautiful growing tree.

A young man called Remy, one of the most talented musicians that were part of the workshop in January, will now initiate guitar classes with about 15 children in the camps. He will be supported by Ruben Celeti, who is a full-time worker from MAIS, to establish the classes and spread out knowledge, opportunities, and hope to dozens of people.

Donate your old guitar and help the Haiti Music School

“Since January 2011, the Haiti Music School was launched to capacitate teachers to impact their communities through music. Today, some haitian musicians will expand this project to teach children at the camps, and they need old guitars so that more children might have a chance to learn.”

“You can help donating your old guitar!”

TO DONATE and plant a seed in Haiti:

Take your guitar to Rua Joaquim Tavora, 652 – Vila Mariana, São Paulo, Brazil – or contact me at matheus@ortegas.com.br

Coming back from an extraordinary experience at the World Economic Forum, my greatest challenge now is to make the Haiti Music School a scalable, efficient, and sustainable project.

Haiti: the poorest country of the western hemisphere, unemployment levels reaching its highest rates, a place where people still suffer from the tragic earthquake that ruined the nation.

The Haiti Music School started in January, 2011, a symbol of hope to the nation, a project that reached about 80 people in Port-au-Prince. It was a 5-day workshop in which we taught music theory, guitar, keyboards, drums and flute. We donated more than 100 instruments, and dedicated ourselves to pass on the knowledge to the Haitian musicians, so that they would teach young people and generate opportunities for the future of the community.

“So, what now?” I hear from many people.

“Now that the seed is planted, we just need to hope that they water it so it grows.”

I believe that sustainable development of poor communities depends much on the effort of the community leaders and the people’s motivation. That is why music is such a relevant tool to make this happen – it reaches people’s hearts.

Anyhow, it is an enormous challenge to have a structure and daily classes in the Music School. The teachers have methods, instruments, and students. But they lack the building and the organization to make something ordered and frequent. As I talked to Mark Johnson, from Playing for Change at the World Economic Forum, I tried to make a partnership so that the Music School might be built. I learned that if we want to reach higher, we must be willing to share our dreams with others and walk together with them.

Haiti needs help, and the problem is far from over. But what I hope is that the people have motivation to live, inspiration to dream, and courage to reconstruct the nation.

So I heard Keiichiro Asao, a Member of the House of Representatives of Japan, say in a speech about disaster relief: “in a moment like this, all we need is hope. People need hope to find strength to live.”

So may hope be our language, may it be what we spread to the world, even when there seems to be no light on the end of the tunnel.

Written by: Al and Valerie Carpenter

While we were in Haiti a week ago the most significant event was the addition of the 13th child to Ryan Epps Home for Children. Nine-year old Sophanie became the most recent member of the family. As we heard her story, we were really reminded why God has called us and others to this work.

Sophanie’s mother had died and her father did not care for her. She was cleaning homes and cooking for people so she could have enough money to buy food. She had been abused.

Sophanie- girl in the middle

As she broke into sobs on Sunday as she tried to share her testimony, Sophanie shared how she hid in the bathroom one day and prayed to God that He would save her from this life she was living. Praise God for the answered prayer. As we watched Sophanie play and interact with her new brothers and sisters, we realized how dramatically her life had changed in only a few weeks. Sophanie now has the opportunity to grow up in a loving family in a safe home with brothers and sisters to enjoy. She will have healthy meals each day and will attend school for the first time. For Sophanie and other children at Ryan Epps Home, they now have the chance to become responsible citizens who will one day become a part of the New Haiti. We pray that God will continue to use Ryan Epps Home to change the lives of other children who need this same opportunity.

The Ryan Epps Home is a safe haven for orphaned boys and girls in Haiti. Our ways have crossed as we fight for the same objective – changing the reality of the nation by giving new life opportunities to young Haitians.

“You can be far, but that does not mean you are not close.”

I have not been in Haiti for 3 months now, but I remember the face of every friend I met in that nation. I know how they are special and how their affection for all of us is sincere and real.

I am currently working on the Documentary Film about Haiti (which is intended to be completed by the end of 2011), and planning a very interesting Photography Project with the partnership of Canon, Copa Airlines, and MAIS.

I also believe that the Ortegas have an important role in the reconstruction of the Haitian nation. Next monday, we will play together with the well-known Brazilian artist Kleber Lucas in a Fundraising event for Haiti.

Even 5,500 kilometers away, we can still help, impact, make a change.

Two things happened these days that will change my life:

1. I was accepted for postgraduate study of International Development at the London School of Economics.

2. I was invited to be a participant of the World Economic Forum in Rio next month.

I am still shocked with these news. I am doing my best to study, grow, learn, increase my network, in order to make a change in this world. Nothing great comes without much effort. But I am confident about what I want, and I will give my life to achieve it.

I hope to one day change the reality of millions of people in poverty, living in misery.

This is who I am. A young musician, with many dreams, many ideas, trying my best to make a positive impact wherever I go. =)

http://www.staying-alive.org/en/2011/03/let’s-talk-about-sex-god-and-rock-roll

I am very glad to take my Haitian friends with me wherever I spread about my social work. Generating awareness on the need in Haiti is as important as helping them with your own hands.

That is why I just made a video called Changing the World – Haiti Music School. It is a two-minute presentation of the Development Project in Port-au-Prince, showing how you can change the world with a simple idea and lots of motivation.

After more than an year after the earthquake, Haiti is still struggling to barely survive. They need help, and any warm initiative is very welcome. The main objective of this school is to ally three different aspects: humanitarian assistance + community development + arts bringing hope.

Let us believe that there is hope for Haiti, and let us do our best to help them in every way we can.

January 8th-15th: The Ortegas went to Haiti, started a Music School, donated dozens of instruments, played at the Brazilian Base at the UN, sang the “Revolysion Lanmou” for thousands of Haitians, and had a week to remember!

As we come back to our realities, we recognize how amazing was this experience. Many musicians were motivated to study, and the effect in the community was extraordinary. We delivered more than 60 diplomas for those who were part of the 4-day workshop, representing a seed of dignity in Haitian soil.

Indeed, music brings smiles.

The Music School is being built in Port-au-Prince, and it will be ready after about 4 months. I have already been invited to return to Haiti when the School is launched nationwide, so I believe this will turn out to be a long-term sustainable project that brings development to the Haitian communities.

I am very thankful to all who donated and participated in this project. We have smiles in our mouths and a happy soul (and lots of bizarre stories of living in a precarious conditions, such as: our translator almost died of malaria, I was bit by a wasp, we had shower with buckets, we ate goat’s meat, etc)

It is beautiful to live this dream and see it coming true, in midst of so many challenges.

Yet, this dream is far from over. In fact, it has just begun.

4:30 AM, January 8th – We are heading to Port Prince, Haiti.

The Music School will have its start with a capacity-building workshop during a week, together with the donation of the following instruments:

5 Acoustic Guitars – 2 Keyboards - 1 Electric Guitar – 1 Bass – 40 Flutes – 1 Bongo – 4 Drumsticks – 5 Microphones – 3 Cables – 4 Guitar Straps – 1 Tuner – 2 Microphone Supports – 18 Guitar Strings – 55 Music Methods

And another good news, the Ortegas will be playing at the United Nations, in the Brazilian Headquarters! We eager to bring smiles and hope through music, whether it is for the Haitian people suffering or the soldiers far away from their families.

We are very grateful to everyone who have donated and shown interest in this project. And may all who have a passion to make a change in this world feel like you are together with me in making this dream come true in Haiti.

Au revoir! Que Dieu bénisse Haïti!

If you have a guitar/bass/electric guitar/percussion/keyboards/recorders in good conditions, please email me at matheus@ortegas.com.br

Be part of this and let us together make this dream come true.

Martin Guitar donated by the Ortegas | Violão Martin doado pelos Ortegas

— (Português)

A Escola de Música irá iniciar em 8-15 de Janeiro, 2011. As passagens estão sendo compradas, materiais sendo preparados, e instrumentos sendo… DOADOS!

Se você tem um violão/baixo/guitarra/percussão/ teclado/flauta em boas condições para doação, envie um email para matheus@ortegas.com.br

Faça parte deste projeto e vamos juntos fazer este sonho se tornar realidade!