A new music school has opened shop in Kigali. Rwanda Rocks music school, a brainchild of Mary Fanaro is located within the premises of the Kwetu Film Institute in Kigali.

It is the eighth school and the first music school that Fanaro has established in Africa under her OmniPeace initiative. Fanaro runs other schools in Senegal, Mali and Malawi.

The school is a partnership with the Rwanda Film Institute focusing on music studies and to ultimately link the different disciplines of the arts – music and film.

Establishment of the music school was inspired by Fanaro’s first trip to Rwanda as a tourist last year.

When Fanaro travelled to Rwanda for the first time as a tourist, she realised that there was a need to come up with something that would supplement the remarkable efforts by Rwandans to rebuild the country after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

"I had come for gorilla trekking and it was my first time in Rwanda. I found touching stories about genocide and how Rwandans have made efforts to overcome the tragedies they faced. At that time I opened a book I was reading and happen to meet this line that was saying ‘your job now is to go to the place where you can be of the maximum help even if it requires you a lot more than what you have and when you do that, God will protect you’,” she recalls.

On her most recent visit, Fanaro, the founder and CEO of OmniPeace said her guide and driver was a music teacher who asked if she had ever considered starting a music school. The idea struck a chord.

"I was in bed that night and I thought, why wouldn’t I do a music school? Who am I to say no? Maybe I’m getting a message to do a music school,” Fanaro said when launching the school in Kigali on Monday.

The school will be offering after school music classes three times a week. Together with Musicians without Borders, OmniPeace will be giving music scholarships to some of the students, according to Fanaro.

Students who attended classes during the inauguration of the music school said that the school will help shape their talents and build their careers.

"We are passionate about music, and we know that we are talented. There’s no other way we can build and promote our talents other than getting skills. This school is therefore an answer to building our talents and career,” said Teta Niyigena, one of the students who attended the first class.

OmniPeace is a humanitarian organisation that builds schools to empower youth living in extreme poverty in Africa.

The organisation made its mark after creating a logo designed to inspire and share its powerful message. The logo became iconic in fashion and attracted supporters ranging from Hollywood celebrities to leaders in the global movement to bring change to Africa.

Fanaro and OmniPeace believe education is ultimately the essential component to transform lives and break the poverty cycle in Africa.

"We often forget how much education is a luxury and how vital it is to a child’s success. Breaking the cycle of poverty through education is an important component for a plan of a poverty-free Africa; something we are proud to support. The building of all OmniPeace schools is further proof that "Fashion Truly Can Save Lives,” reads part of the message on the company website.

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