25 Sep 2019

Botswana Society of Jazz Education (BOSJE) aims to take young people off the streets by empowering them to use music as a source of income.

In an interview BOSJE’s chairperson, Akhutleng Mogami said they would use the society to advance jazz education in Botswana and improve the skill in the youth in regard to jazz music.

 “We have various projects that we have embarked on. Currently, we are running a community project aimed at teaching youth music by introducing to them a new instrument whenever we meet. This is done through our volunteers and we meet every Wednesday. We are based at Bontleng Primary school,”she said.

She said the anticipated result of the project was to see young people empowered with knowledge and skills which they could use to advance their careers and even venture to be entrepreneurs themselves.

Mogami said through the society, they had been able to form a youth jazz band.

“We managed to bring together young people from all walks of life to teach them about jazz and how to play jazz music.

The band has also grown both musically and professionally,” she said.

She said the society was also keen on capacity building to empower the musicians, talent managers and promoters to offer care and protection to the industry in pursuit of achieving artistic excellence.

Mogami lamented lack of infrastructure or facilities where they could host their activities.

She, however, encouraged young people to take part in such  initiatives. Ends