The Shanti Bhavan Music Room: A Safe Haven
Discover how the music room at Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project has become a sanctuary for students facing the pressure of exams. As stress levels rise, the music room provides a space for relaxation, creativity, and a much-needed break from studying. Listen to our Music Fellow, Manuela’s story.
Transcript:
These couple of weeks have been very stressful for the kids because they have their board exams coming and that's very important in the Indian academic world. And I've noticed that they are coming earlier and earlier to the music room. Our first period is at 08:00 a.m.Usually, I come early, I drink my coffee, I warm up and I wait for them to come. But I've been noticing that the kids are coming at around 747 45. So I asked them why and they said omits the music room is our home and this is where we want to be early in the morning. This is the only place in the whole school where you're going to come in studying and the teacher is going to say, stop studying and start singing. So we have a quick breakfast and then we just come here and wait for you. So it's just these little things where here. Shanti Bhavan kids are feeling safe and they're feeling like this is a place where they can make music and they can relax.
Manuela Restrepo
Teaching Artist| Music Fellow | Shanti Bhavan Children's Project
Is a musician and therapist. Born and raised in the city of Medellín, Colombia, she has aided in the research and development of musical strategies that advocate for the wellbeing of children and teens displaced by violence and vulnerated in and around the slums and villages of her country. She has worked with Colegio de Música de Medellín for many years, where in addition to teaching she has been an active performer both as a singer and percussionist for a number of their productions and has collaborated in the edition of several of their educational material. In her work as a teacher she strives to help her students find an identity and a community through music.
