The Marc Bolan School of Music&Film - Sierra Leone

It has been an incredibly positive time for us at the Marc Bolan School of Music and Film. We have seen our student numbers grow, week in and week out, as news of our creative projects reach out and touch the lives of our community and beyond. Film and music classes have resulted in television and radio work for a number of them. At the same time, the visits of the artist Francis Johnson and his dedicated team have inspired creative painting and drawing projects for our younger students. Mr Mohamad Murrat, Head Teacher of our affiliated orphanage, has been bringing some of his (eighty and more in number ebola orphans) to our premises for both music and art lessons as well as social interaction and stimulation. This exceptional man has done so much for them, and now he has teamed up with our Director Bai Koroma and Founder Gloria Jones to create a solid structure of visionary and administrative input.

Our music students, including the wonderfully talented 'Noble' who, as a rapper and multi-instrumental musician and arrager, is now recording and perorming around Sierra Leone, appearing with well-established stars on radio and giving frequent interviews.

We have also bought a wonderful brand new 'Keh Keh', a mini-taxi. It has been beautifully decorated with professional decals with pictures and song titles of the hits written by our inspirational figurehead, the Superstar Marc Bolan. This Keh Keh will be used to transport our students from the orphanage to the school as well as teachers. It will also feature in a new and exciting film about our students and trainers meeting with communities outside of Makeni to tell them about The Marc Bolan School of Music and Film and inspire them to work with us.

There are other exciting developments, and one of the most significant is our twinning with The Darwen School of Music in Blackburn, UK. Its founder and one of its principal directors is Paul Stuart, a young man dedicated to provide music teaching and performance facilities in Darwen. Paul is coming to visit our school in Makeni in Decemebr and we are building ways of helping to promote the profile and good-standing of our schools, as well as inspiring each other's teaching and learning. Although not a legally binding partnership, we will give each other as much human and creative support as possible so that more students enjoy the wonderful results of the good will of our staffs and projects.

We are in this for the long term. We are succeeding, wonderfully. Please help us build our school, please help us achieve our aim by donating giving our young people the chance of fulfilling their dreams and potential in one of the poorest countries of the world.