The Sierra Leone Music Academy

Our Story

The Sierra Leone Music Academy is run by Lawrence and Fatmata Gray, a husband and wife team, whose passion is to bring light and joy to impoverished children and their local communities through teaching music

Mission Statement

Our mission is to have the opportunity of teaching disadvantaged children in Sierra Leone how to play a variety of musical instruments. I would like to raise enough money to hire a small hall in the village where I can provide the children with food and drink and can teach. All of your generous donations allow me the opportunity to fulfill my dream of teaching children music and allowing me to travel to and book venues in our impoverished villages.

About me

My name is Lawrence Gray and I live in a town called Lungi in Sierra Leone.

Life for the vast majority in Sierra Leone is very tough and, like most people here, day to day life is a struggle for me.

When I was a boy, I was very lucky to be taught how to play the trumpet and trombone. Music is the only thing in my life that brings me happiness and purpose. It is uncommon for anyone in Sierra Leone to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. It is my dream to pass on my love and passion for music to others by teaching the poorest children in our country how to play brass wind instruments. Teaching children music would bring happiness to me, but not least to many children and their families.

Teachers

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Lawrence Gray

Music Teacher

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Fatmata Gray

Music Teacher

The benefits of a Music Academy

 

  • Give young people a unique and life changing opportunity
  • Create a sense of achievement in our youth
  • Teach responsibility
  • Nurture self-expression
  • Improve social skills
  • Improve Coordination
  • Improve comprehension skills

How you can help?

Any donation that I’m fortunate to receive will go to the following

  • Providing all children with a meal and drinks at each lesson
  • Purchasing of musical instruments and books
  • Hiring of a venue
  • Helping to support me while I teach our underprivileged children.

You can also help by donating unwanted or unneeded musical instruments. If you’re able to help please contact Joanne Smithers on 07460314329. Joanne is based in the UK and has kindly offered to collect any donations of instruments on my behalf and to ship them to me.

The musical instruments that the academy needs are

  • Trumpet
  • Trombone
  • Saxophone
  • Cornet
  • Percussion Instruments

OPENING HOURS