Thriving through music in the slums

Josephine te Pas

The first time I saw David, he was begging for money in the centre of the Nicaraguan city of Léon. This ten-year-old boy - David Jose Ramires in full- lived with his family in one of the many slums of the city: a dusty neighbourhood with houses made of cardboard, plastic and sheets of corrugated iron. David has eleven brothers and sisters, a number of which have been “given away” by his mother. His father is invisible and it turns out that his main concern is alcohol. As is the case with so many parents for whom the hopelessness of their existence is more than they can bear.

In the five months I worked as a volunteer, I organized musical activities for the street kids of Léon. During these activities I got to know David better. What struck me the most about this boy was that he did not seem to be at all interested in his surroundings, but he did show up at the musical events. In a few months time I saw him change from a boy who would look at me with empty eyes, to a boy who would run up to me, red-cheeked and eyes sparkling with excitement. What made him change? Was it the attention, being able to express his emotions, creating a song together with his friends and me, or was it the fact that he could be proud of himself? These elements of musical activity have important consequences.

Gathering the children

Wednesday afternoon, 12 o’clock: I am on my way to the local school in the Adiact district; a small building surrounded by high walls and barbed wire. As I arrive, school has just ended. We can use one of the classrooms for our musical activities after school, but out of sheer impatience most of the children have already run off into the dusty neighbourhood. Eight-year-old Wilbur, his hair neatly parted, runs up to me. He calls out in a high and excited voice that he will go and look for the others. David is waiting for me at the school gate. After a little while, we manage to gather seven children in the ages 8 -12 and we can begin.

Warming up in the jungle

Despite the fact that it is 35 degrees Celsius, we start by ‘warming up’. In order to be able to concentrate, the children need to get rid of their excess energy by exercising. They choose the reggaeton-CD. A minor setback: there is no electricity in the neighbourhood today! The children look somewhat upset, but quickly start singing the song ‘El Bosque’ accompanied by the guitar and a lot of movement. This song, a translation of ‘In the Jungle’, is a favourite among the children. As soon as they walk about and stamp along with the rhythm of the song, they have forgotten all about the reggaeton-CD. All the action and dynamics ensure that the children stay focussed: they have to react immediately when I unexpectedly call out ‘very fast’ or ‘stop’. Next, the children alternate in ‘taking the lead’.

Focussing can be hard

The children are easily distracted. This shows once more when they notice a large number of Nosy Parkers who have gathered in front of the open windows to take a peek. David loses his concentration as well. Suddenly, the look of stress and insecurity is back in his eyes. He already looked as if he had not slept a wink last night. That is not unusual; yesterday I once again ran into him in the centre of Léon around midnight. With bags under his eyes he looks pitying around the classroom. With the assistance of Sayda, the Nicaraguan promoter of the neighbourhood who helps out with the musical activities, we succeed in sending away the audience. With a lot of effort I manage to get the attention of my group of children. I let them clap the rhythm of ‘We Will Rock You’ and I encourage them to sing along. “It is a rock song, so it has to sound powerful! Let me hear you!” I teach them. In the end they shout out the song until they are red in the face and I notice that the sparkle in David’s eyes has returned.

Sing with abandon about what’s on your mind

For two months we work on the lyrics of the song; the children write their own lyrics and thus show more of themselves and express themselves more easily. During my stay I notice that David, like the song, is going through a process. On a Wednesday afternoon I ask him what he wants to tell with his song. “Do you like living in Adiact? What don’t you like? And what are your dreams?” He gazes at me intently and says that he has nothing to tell me. He likes everything. Then, another boy in the group talks about what is bothering him: he does not like the fighting in the neighbourhood, the drunks and the thieves who steal his parents’ chicken because they are hungry. Suddenly I notice that David understands what the boy says and he shows this by singing out loud and with abandon the lyrics this group member wrote. It is clear to me that he deals with his emotions simply by singing.

There is no stopping them

After five months we end the musical project with a final presentation in which all the children participate with enthusiasm. I am relieved to see that the room is filled with parents, brothers and sisters. When performing their song about their own neighbourhood Adiact, the formerly so close-mouthed David, sings solo, as do three other children. But on reaching the end of his solo, David does not want to stop. Unexpectedly, he pushes the two other solo singers aside and starts again with a proud look on his face. At that moment I realise the project is a success!


Josephine te Pas works as an ortho-agogic musical counsellor and musical consultant for De Hartekamp Groep, a foundation for mentally handicapped people in the Netherlands. Josephine was granted unpaid leave in order to gain this experience as a volunteer.