Bridges (and Deserts) for Music

Bridges (and Deserts) for Music

Most of us, from time to time, are willing to cross the street to make a donation to an NGO; Isra García however, went a little further. Isra cycled, ran and swam a slightly longer distance of 573 kilometres, from Fairfield, California to Black Rock, Nevada.

The journey took him 54 hours, with 5 hours rest, and the only thing lacking in the desert was a horse with no name.

His efforts were not part of a desperate effort to lose a few kilos for the beach, but to raise a few dollars for the people of Langa, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, where a music school will be built to provide an alternative to some of the social traps that young people encounter there, such as drug abuse and delinquency.

Designed by Y Tsai studios in Cape Town, the main goal of the school is to become a creative hub where these young, talented individuals are able to pursue their dreams and develop their skills, through a shared passion for music. It also aims to become a landmark in the community. Lectures will be given on aspects of music production, graphic design, basic internet usage, and video editing. The school will also have specific production facilities with the latest equipment. An outdoor area will be used as an events space for both the school and the community around it, where they will host workshops and events, as well as utilising the space for screenings. They are hoping that this space will become a nest for all young artists, not only from Langa itself, but from other townships around the Cape flats.

Isra is one among more than a hundred people from all over the world who have agreed to raise money for this cause, including Valencian tennis star David Ferrer, one of several sports figures who have donated objects to be auctioned.

Construction of the school will begin at the beginning of 2015

Isra, from Valencia,  describes himself as a Marketer, adviser, speaker, educator and agent for change.