The Buskaid Soweto String Project was
established in January 1997 by Rosemary Nalden,
in response to requests from the local Diepkloof
community. It started with humble beginnings and
now boasts over 100 students ranging in age from
four to thirty, all of whom are drawn from the less
privileged local community.
The Buskaid Music School, which consists of seven studios, a
music library and a large rehearsal room, was opened in early
1999 and is a thriving hub of activity in the community. Now,
however with the huge increase in student and teacher numbers,
the school, which was built to house just two teachers and 35
children, is simply not big enough to accommodate the current
register of 100 students and twelve teachers. We talk with
Rosemary Nalden regarding the assistance the Buskaid Trust
requires to achieve its goals and what corporates can expect
when getting involved with an organisation of this calibre.
1. What do potential funders gain from supporting the
Buskaid Trust?
Buskaid has earned itself a huge local,
national and international reputation for
producing performers and teachers of
outstanding merit and quality. Potential
funders know that not only will their
financial investment in Buskaid be
used efficiently and with honesty and
integrity, but that they are also investing
in excellence in both the Arts and in
Education in South Africa, and most
particularly in a community which has
not had these opportunities in the past.
In addition there is the social impact –
funders can take comfort from the fact
that in supporting Buskaid, they are
helping to address unemployment, as well as keeping children
out of trouble, in some instances out of jail, and even saving their
lives. We have done all of that and more over the past 16 years.
2. What are the challenges in terms of raising funds for your
organization?
Every Arts organisation everywhere in the world faces this
constant challenge, and especially in tough economic times.
But in South Africa, we also compete with the reality of HIV/AIDS
and therefore of the vital continuing need to fund their dedicated
charities. I can recall several charities which were supporting
us in the past, which then diverted that funding to AIDS-based
charities. (In this connection I have always pointed out that in
nearly 17 years, the only known cases of HIV/AIDS at Bu ͭ