Projects in cooperation with other institutions
AMREF Italia
Juakali Drummers
In July 2005, Dulcimer Fondation pour la Musique launched a pilot project – in collaboration with the non-profit organisation AMREF - African Medical and Research Foundation Italia Onlus, for the establishment of a permanent music laboratory pin the framework of the “Child in Need Project”. The goal of this initiative (coordinated by AMREF) is the social recovery of young people living in the shantytown of Kawuangare – Nairobi (Kenya).
The person in charge of the project "JUAKALI DRUMMERS" is the musician and drummer 
Giovanni Lo Cascio. The music laboratory is managed by local musicians, specifically trained and coordinated by Lo Cascio, and it is active throughout the year: There are weekly classes and two-week workshops (every three months).
The main target of this project is to socially support and encourage street kids through musical learning experiences, which respect their local traditions and aim at letting them develop their own expression potential.
All „musical“ instruments needed for the project are self-made from waste or discarded everyday materials, such as drums, tubes, cans, metal plate, paper, glass, strings etc. Besides, this corresponds to the African recycling culture.
Juakali Drummers” is the name that the first group of drummers has chosen for itself; in Swahili it means „scorching sun“ und „hard work“, and it is also the name of the biggest recycling market in Nairobi.
The Juakali group began performing in Nairobi, both in the shantytown and in nearby villages and various organizations.
The first stage of the music laboratory will culminate in a performance organized wholly by the young people of Nairobi as a conclusion of their first training period.
For more information and images please read the brochure or watch the video. (see EXTRA on the right) .top
Scuola di musica di Fiesole (Firenze - Italia)
DEMI Project (Department of musical edication for children)
2000 - 2005
The Foundation actively contributed to the planning and implementation of the project. Alexandra Gelpke, President of the Foundation, has been its teaching coordinator until 2003.
The DEMI course was composed of the following: lessons with a string instrument (violin or cello), rhythm classes, singing, information technology/solfeggio and keyboard basics.
The classes aimed at creating a broad basis for learning music and at providing the child with the opportunity to develop the capabilities required for a future as an active musician (both as a professional and as an amateur) through an inter-disciplinary approach to music.
The first three-year course ended in September 2003 with the transition of the young learners to the normal classes of the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole.
At the same time, the active collaboration between Dulcimer Fondation pour la Musique and the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole ended as well.
However, from 2002 through September 2004 Dulcimer Fondation pour la Musique continued to wholly finance a second music course (named "DEMI 2").
Finally, in the years 2003/2004 a 2004/2005 the Foundation financed a course in „Ensemble music for string instruments“, since this was deemed an essential integration and furtherance of DEMI’s didactic approach.