By Simeon Boyce
A nephew of late legendary Malawian musician Daniel Kachamba has opened a free music school in Chileka, Blantyre, to equip young people with musical skills while preserving his uncle’s legacy.
Adams Kamba established the Dr Daniel Kachamba School of Music at Jacaranda Museum in Chileka, where 40 children aged between 11 and 17 have so far enrolled for lessons.
Most of them are learning how to play musical instruments such as the guitar, keyboard and drums.
Kamba, who is also a budding musician, told MBC that he was motivated to establish the school after observing what he described as an increase in alcohol and drug abuse, marijuana smoking, teenage pregnancies and early marriages among young people in his community.
“I want to empower young people to earn a living through music,” he said.
13-year-old Hope Jamali, one of the students, said his passion for music developed through his church and the influence of musicians from Chileka.
For Kamba, the programme is designed not to interfere with the children’s education, as music classes are conducted during school holidays.
He thanked his uncle, Moya Aliya Malamusi, for supporting the initiative and appealed to well-wishers to help him expand the programme.
