Brass for Africa IWD fundraiser supports the education and employability of disadvantaged girls

Music is a powerful tool to engage and transform. 

Operating in Uganda, Liberia, and Rwanda, Brass for Africa is a charity that drives social impact and justice through music, delivering Music & Life-Skills lessons to thousands of disadvantaged children and young people to help positively transform their lives.

"This year, we’re determined to transform the future of girls who've had to face inequality for too long. With your help, 250 girls will have access to our education programmes and three young female alumni will get hired as teachers at Brass for Africa. Join our biggest campaign yet," invites Brass for Africa.

Throughout the month of March, Brass for Africa is running an #AccelerateAction fundraising campaign. With an impressive goal of receiving £120,000 in donations, Brass for Africa wants to transform the future of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa who face inequality, and address issues related to education and employability.

“In Sub-Saharan Africa, the scarcity of quality education and life-skills training contributes to the cycle of poverty. The majority of girls within our programmes live in extremely impoverished communities and cannot afford to go to school. We are their only form of education,” says Brass for Africa. "Additionally, young women also encounter limited opportunities for female employability. Only 31% of women in Sub-Saharan Africa are in wage employment (UN), highlighting the issue of female underrepresentation in the workforce. This March, your support is crucial for paving the way to a brighter future. Will you Accelerate Action?"

Illustrating the importance of this fundraising campaign, Brass for Africa shares some statistics from the United Nations (UN) and the London School of Economics (LSE) about gender inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa:

• 1 in 5 young women are married before their 18th birthday worldwide (UN).
   
• 60% of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa do not complete secondary school (UN).
   
• 74% of women in Sub-Saharan Africa are unemployed (LSE).
   
• 25% of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa are mothers by the age of 19 (UN).

"Girls and young women have to go against historical inequalities to make any achievements possible. Propelled by stigma and misconceptions, many girls often don’t feel capable of fulfilling their potential," explains the charity.

Donate to Brass for Africa's IWD Accelerate Action campaign

Looking to support Brass for Africa's #AccelerateAction campaign?

Here's how your donations can help address pressing challenges in education and employability:

• Give access to education: Help fund an entire year of Music & Life-Skills education at Brass for Africa for 250 extremely disadvantaged girls and young women across Uganda, Rwanda and Liberia.
   
• Fight period poverty: The lack of sanitary pads is often a barrier to girls' education in impoverished communities, so Brass for Africa is including them as part of our education offer. Ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health and rights is essential for achieving gender equality, as it significantly impacts various aspects of daily life. Brass for Africa’s programme will include menstrual health workshops and the distribution of over 1000 reusable pads.
   
• Boost female employability: Help employ three new female Music & Life-Skills Teachers, all alumni of Brass for Africa’s programmes. By facilitating access to training and employment opportunities for female participants, they become role models in their communities, empowering the future generation of girls and young women.

Another great way to support Brass for Africa's Accelerate Action campaign is by signing up for the Race for Equality Challenge, the charity’s annual fundraising sports challenge.

Taking part is easy - you can join from anywhere with any sport, from running to cycling to swimming, and even hopping. Sign up as an individual or as a team with your friends, work colleagues or family.

Artemis Charitable Foundation Chair, Derek Stuart comments on Brass for Africa’s sports challenge, saying: "Our Artemis Profit Hunter team has proudly participated in Brass for Africa’s sports challenge for four years, dedicating themselves to supporting the empowerment of girls and young women across sub-Saharan Africa. Not only has this challenge been a brilliant opportunity to make a positive impact, but it has also served as a fantastic team-building activity, fostering healthy competition between our team and other participating companies. Together, we have not only grown stronger as a team but have also made a lasting difference in the lives of many."

Accelerate Action with Brass for Africa

Donate to Brass for Africa's campaign to support the education and employment of girls across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Together, we can all Accelerate Action.