INDIA

COMMUNITY MUSIC THERAPY

“Music Club” is a unique music club run by a TMTT music therapist for children and teens with physical or emotional challenges. The “excluded” children, i.e. who have been rejected or excluded by family or society, work together with a music therapist using rhythms, songs and instruments. The project aims to enhance self esteem, to offer support and to help the children through music to express their pain, anger and neglect so they can return to mainstream education.

“Music Therapy with the Disadvantaged” TMTT is working in collaboration with Bal Sahyog, a Delhi-based Children’s Home for children in need of care and protection, which provides residential and educational facilities to about 100 children from disadvantaged families. With TMTT music therapists, the orphaned and street children and teens engage in instrument playing, music making and song writing to help enhance self esteem, sense of pleasure and improve their social and leadership skills.

“Music Therapy with Autism” TMTT works closely with autistic children and their families through an ongoing collaboration with Action For Autism (AFA). At the TMTT Music Centre situated at AFA, many children receive individual/group music therapy sessions and parents attend workshops to explore the use of music at home. Likewise, TMTT partners with Anchal Charitable Trust to offer music therapy sessions to 24 children and teens with autism, cerebral palsy, learning difficulties or physical disabilities in the slums of East Delhi and Ghaziabad.

“Music Therapy with Children with HIV”: India is home to the world’s largest population of HIV orphans and these children face staggering risks and typically die young or live on the streets. TMTT provides music therapy services to children at the NAZ AIDS Foundation, New Delhi, a foster home for children who are HIV positive, many of whom have been abandoned and are traumatized. The children are engaged in interactive music making in sessions and build nurturing and affirming relationships through sessions the music therapists and with others at the home.

“Music Therapy Drum Circles with Mainstreamed School Children”: TMTT conducts ongoing drum circles with children receiving main stream education. Groups of children engage with TTMT music therapists in drum circles that are directed towards helping the children develop social and leadership skills through exploring rhythms, vocal and natural sounds. Sessions take place at “Teen Murti Bhavan,” Delhi.

 “The Songs for Hope Project”: Beginning in the fall of 2011, TMTT will be conducting ongoing music therapy sessions with small groups of children at the Bal Sayhog Centre, a residence for orphans in Delhi. The music therapists will engage children in group song writing activities, incorporating the lyrics and melodies created by children in sessions and the process will be facilitated by the therapists. During the 6 month process, each child in each group will have his own opportunity to compose a song and each child will have his own opportunity to direct his own song process, serving as the ‘group director.’ Songs will be audio recorded onto CDs and children may design their CD covers, as art work will be encouraged as a way to help children creatively express feelings, thoughts, dreams and hopes.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

GUJARAT

Blind Welfare Council, Dahod:
The music therapy classes with special educators have enabled 5 special educators to set up a music-based unit to work with 270 children with disabilities.

TMTT provided free music therapy by a TMTT music therapist to 15 special children for three months.

35 special children did dance and music performances in a special show “Celebration ofLife” designed by TMTT.

Mangal Murti Trust Vikalang Trust, Junagadh
The music therapy classes with special educators are ongoing and are enabling 15 educators to use music-based activities with 810 children with special needs.

Navashkti Vidyalay for Developmentally Challenged Children” Rajkot, Gujarat,
22 participants from 13 organizations and special needs schools attended ‘An Introduction to Music Therapy’ Workshop. This workshop aimed to help raise awareness of the potential for music with special needs children. 

Shree Mahadev Educational and Rehabilitation Public Charitable Trust Surat, Gujarat,
A TMTT music therapist conducts ongoing sessions and workshops with 15 educators to help them use music with 80 special needs children. The music therapist offers demonstrations and provides hands-on suggestions to help benefit the children in this region.

MUMBAI

TMTT provided music therapy services to several special needs children as part of a series of ongoing monthly workshops held with 10 special educators. These workshops aimed to inform educators about music therapy and suggest ways to incorporate music in their classes. These workshops have helped approximately 540 children with special needs to receive music-based services.