MUSIC CHANGES LIVES
Music can address the social and emotional needs of a population.
Not only does Make Music Matter help people deal with the trauma they’ve experienced but we bring survivors together so they know they’re not alone.
OUR MISSION
USES THE CREATIVE PROCESS
AS A
THERAPEUTIC TOOL TO
HELP EMPOWER
MARGINALIZED
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES.
MUSIC WORKS
From survivors of sexual violence to child soldiers, music is a channel for expression for those otherwise incapable of expressing the heartache of their experience.
Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Healing in Harmony program in helping to significantly reduce ptsd, anxiety, and depression, and to break stigma, enabling individuals to better reintegrate their community.
MUSIC IS AN
EDUCATIONAL TOOL
Not only is making music a starting point for therapeutic conversations, it is also a versatile teaching medium.
Historically, music, storytelling, and dance have all be used to transmit information from one generation to the next.
MUSIC IS INCLUSIVE
Music is the cornerstone of our programming because it engages everyone. Whether a person actively participates in music-making, or just listens, the experience is beneficial.
The message of a song has an impact wherever it is heard, reaching many people beyond its creators.
Music Is Far-Reaching
In areas where literacy rates are low, music is an effective way to engage, inform, and raise awareness.
When songs by Healing in Harmony artists are played on the radio, survivors’ voices reach beyond their homes to massive audiences and challenge listeners to change the world in which they live.
Music Is Our Expertise
Make Music Matter fuses international development expertise with some of the greatest minds and talents in the music industry.
Capitalizing on our strengths and building on our successes is essential to the effectiveness and sustainability of our work.
IT STARTED WITH A SONG AND BECAME
SO MUCH MORE.
The original Make Music Matter effort began with a song produced by Darcy Ataman. With support from the Canadian International Development Agency, Darcy brought together several popular recording artists to write and record a music single, Song for Africa, and an accompanying video to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. The song was presented to global leaders during the opening ceremonies of the XVI International Aids Conference held in Toronto in 2006. The proceeds from the sale of the song supported various projects in Africa. A documentary film, also entitled Song for Africa, followed artists involved in the original project on a trip to Kenya to see the people and projects impacted by the funds raised. The documentary aired on the Canadian broadcaster CityTV in 2007 and was seen in approximately 30,000 homes. It aired several more times, reaching an even larger audience.
The Healing in Harmony pilot program kicked off in the fall of 2009. Over 70 youth from across Rwanda participated. Local educators guided the interactive training and health education sessions while local and visiting artists facilitated the creation of music. Songs were recorded and disseminated to local communities and used as outreach tools on local radio and elsewhere, spreading positive health messages and helping to break the cycle of stigma.
MMM created a second documentary and its first full-length album, both entitled Rwanda: Rises Up!, released in June 2010. This time the documentary followed Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat, Sarah Slean, Damhnait Doyle, Tim Edwards of Crash Parallel,and legendary producer David Bottrill (Tool, Silverchair, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins) as they traveled to Rwanda to visit the Healing in Harmony program. The documentary looked at Rwanda’s recovery from the devastation of genocide and offered a firsthand glimpse at how the power of hope changes lives for the better. The broadcast premiere of Rwanda: Rises Up! reached 200,000 households. The accompanying album fused the sounds of local Rwandan artists with the talents of Ian D’Sa of Billy Talent, Cone McCaslin of Sum 41, Classified, and the Trews. An inspiring work of art, it marked the first time many Rwandan artists were paid for their talents.
Make Music Matter hosted Panzi Hospital Founder and Director Dr. Denis Mukwege in Winnipeg for a series of events recognizing his humanitarian efforts and raising awareness and funds for the victims of extreme sexual violence at Panzi Hospital, in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “Right Her Future – Manitobans Standing with the Women of Panzi Hospital” was an evening of dialogue and music featuring an impressive line-up of humanitarians, dignitaries including Dr. Denis Mukwege from Panzi Hospital, retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire from the Child Soldiers Initiative, Dr. Samantha Nutt founder of War Child North America, and Dr. Lloyd Axworthy. Special guest performers included Jim Cuddy, Sum 41‘s Cone McCaslin, Billy Talent‘s Ian D’Sa, and local Congolese artists.
With support from the Humanitarian Innovation Fund and in partnership with Panzi Foundation USA, Make Music Matter launched an innovative music therapy program – Healing in Harmony – to support psychosocial healing for survivors of sexual violence, vulnerable community members, children, and staff at Panzi Hospital’s Maison Dorcas aftercare facility.
“Parce Que J’ai Mal” (“Because I’m in Pain”), written by survivors of sexual violence at Maison Dorcas, marked the first release by artists in the Healing in Harmony program.
Make Music Matter attended the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul to present the Healing in Harmony program to a global audience including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
With support from the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation, Healing in Harmony artists at Uyisenga Ni Imanzi in Rwanda released their debut album “No Love No Peace”.
With partners at Panzi Hospital and Foundations, Make Music Matter were selected to embark on a two year journey to scale up programming in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond. An innovation initiative by ELRHA and the Humanitarian Innovation Fund and funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Journey to Scale included funding, mentoring, and tailored support for the expansion of our Healing in Harmony program.
Make Music Matter joined honoured guest Buffy Sainte-Marie at a special event hosted at the Senate of Canada in celebration of the power of music. Long time Make Music Matter partner Ian D’Sa of Billy Talent along with vocalist Hailee Rose performed My Body is Not a Weapon, a song written by Healing in Harmony artists at Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With Panzi Hospital and Foundations, Make Music Matter launched a new studio in Mulamba, DRC, at a satellite clinic of Panzi Hospital. This kicked off the first Healing in Harmony program in a rural area – one of the major goals of the Journey to Scale.
Make Music Matter joined forces with Warner Music Canada to launch a new record label, bringing songs written and recorded by Healing in Harmony artists to a global audience.
In the final phase of the Journey to Scale with ELRHA, Make Music Matter partnered with World Vision DRC to open a new Healing in Harmony site in Beni, DRC. It was the first site to integrate into another organization and marked a major step in the development of a social franchise model.
Make Music Matter was invited to present the Healing in Harmony program at the Sustainable Impact Hub as part of the World Economic Forum. The week in Davos also featured the world premiere of My Body is Not a Weapon, a documentary film by Platon starring Make Music Matter partner Dr. Denis Mukwege and artists from our Healing in Harmony program at Panzi Hospital.
A new Healing in Harmony program in collaboration with the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation was launched in Conakry, Guinea, with local partners l’Association des victimes parents et amis du 28 septembre 2009 (AVIPA).
Learn more about SANAD.
In collaboration with the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation, new Healing in Harmony sites were launched with Golden Women Vision in Gulu, Uganda, and SESHHA (Survivors’ Empowerment for Self-sustainability and Holistic Healing in Africa) in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
In partnership with World Vision Peru, a new Healing in Harmony site was launched in Trujillo, Peru, targeting young Venezuelan refugees and other at-risk youth.
In partnership with SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada), A4A Publishing (a sister company to A4A Records in collaboration with Warner Music Canada) is established to ensure that royalties are paid to all songwriters living in conflict zones and extreme poverty, whether or not they have legal identification by typical western standards.
As part of the Equality for Girls’ Access to Learning (EGAL) grant, and in collaboration with World Vision Canada, Healing in Harmony expands to Kasai, DRC, empowering vulnerable young women to speak out for their right to education.
Make Music Matter is awarded funding by the Fund for Innovation and Transformation to expand the Healing in Harmony program in Mulamba, DRC. A new gender transformative approach invites men and boys to participate in the program, engaging and empowering them in efforts to advance gender equality.
Impact of the Healing in Harmony program on women’s mental health in a rural area in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo is published in the journal Global Mental Health via Cambridge University Press, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in reducing PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The research also showed the improvements in mental health were sustained up to 6 months post completion of the program despite instability in the region and evidence of continued experience of conflict-related trauma during the study.
Make Music Matter is awarded funding by the Global Mental Health program to develop a mobile Healing in Harmony studio in the DRC, with the aim to reach youth in remote locations who would otherwise not have access to mental health services.
With funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada, MMM joins forces with Aboriginal Legal Services to deliver tailored support to survivors of gender-based violence and address the intergenerational trauma they have experienced.
The ‘Culture to Wellness: Reimagining Holistic Healing Approaches for Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People’ project marks a milestone for MMM as they bring the Healing in Harmony model home to Canada in a formal partnership for the first time.
With support from the Bell Let’s Talk Diversity Fund and the National Music Centre in Calgary, Kehewin Native Dance Theatre and MMM develop new arts-based programming based on the Healing in Harmony model to help address the mental health crisis in Kehewin Cree Nation and surrounding communities.
THE TEAM
STAFF
Darcy Ataman
Founder
Justin Cikuru
Lead Therapist and Trainer
Georges Mupemba
Lead Music Producer
Damião Melo Fernandes
Post-Production and Program Manager
Rebecca Purver
Media and Communications Manager
Léda Doyon
Volunteer and Publishing Coordinator
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Bottrill
Board Chair
Jaime Jenkins
Board Member
Steve Kane
Board Member
Stuart Davis
Board Member
Dave Dysart
Board Member
Lynda Kraar
Board Member
Nisha Puri
Board Member
Whitney Lau
Board Member
We are grateful to our dedicated team of global volunteers who contribute every day to make music matter for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Meet our volunteers and find out how you can get involved.
Make Music Matter USA is a registered nonprofit that supports the work of Make Music Matter including the innovative Healing in Harmony music therapy program in collaboration with local partners worldwide. Learn more
We acknowledge the Make Music Matter headquarters is located on is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.
