Making a difference through Music | Project Ahimsa: Global Lingo

Imagine X-Factor or Pop Idol,but where all the contestants are children who have grown up foraging and slogging in some of the poorest areas in the world. However, at Manav Sadhna (NGO at an ashrams adhering to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Ahmedabad Gujarat) instead of picking rags, they’re picking out RAGAs and instead of scouring for their next meal on the streets; they scour their imaginations for the perfect lyrics.

Our main goal in the end, was just to demonstrate what these kids can do if they have an opportunity.

Vijay Chattha (Project Ahimsa co-founder and album executive producer)

You may think this is a Slumdog remake, but this is for real and its strength has been captured on Global Lingo (Project Ahimsa), bringing together the talents of these youngsters nurtured by Project Ahimsa. Global Lingo is a pioneering benefit project like no other. The album unites disadvantaged children to join forces with artists and activists to create an album that speaks the universal language of music.

Music can heal and connect communities. We all just need to understand one another. Global Lingo proves it can happen through music.

Robin Sukhadia (International Grants Program Director)

Renowned musicians, producers, DJs such as Michael Franti and Spearhead (San Francisco), Karsh Kale (NYC/UK), J-Boogie (San Francisco), Funkadesi (Chicago), Tablapusher (San Francisco), DK (NYC), Sunny Jain (San Francisco), Janaka Selecta (LA), Mandeep Sethi, Bobby Friction (UK) and many more have donated or come together to record and remix original tracks for the Global Lingo CD project.

To turn diverse sounds into a single sonic experience, Chattha turned to Project Ahimsa’s friends, DJs and electronic music gurus like DK Bollygirl and dimmSummer, to bring the tracks together into one DJ set that flows from funky Afrobeat (Rocky Dawuni’s “Africa for Learn”) to Punjabi reggae (Funkadesi’s “Dolare”).

This is a musical celebration of diversity, delivering funky rhythms of reggae, bhangra, hip hop and electronica in a truly global compilation album.

This is a product of how Music can make a difference.

Recently a few of my friends came together to form a unique retail space called Sahai. Based in Central London, Sahai seeks to connect communities and support livelihoods through beautifully hand-crafted products from across the world.

Sahai stocks handmade paper products from a Manav Sadhna. Through the Manav Sadhna Earn & Learn programme, children gain an outlet for their creativity, a warm meal and access to a basic education. Without this whtye would otherwise be forced due to their personal circumstances into street labour – polishing shoes, picking rags, selling water pouches etc.

This beautiful project seeks to communicate the lives of these children and build a relationship far beyond the products. The voice of the children rings loud at the Sahai shop each time we hear their voices on the ‘Let them sing’ CD produced with the help of the Ahmisa Project.

21/02/2011 | Categories: global lingo/ahimsa project | Tags: Amit Shoham, benefit for Africa Live! (Ghana), Blackmahal, Bobby Friction (UK), Children from The Service Association of the Blind of Ahmedabad (India), Ching-Hwa, Coco Peila, Cubanix, Diamond in benefit for Art in Action (USA) Miguel Migs, Empower the Children Chorus (Kolkata, Erica Nalani, Funkadesi, Ganesh Barriya, Global Lingo, GOONDA, House of Hope (Uganda), India, JBoogie, Junior Reid, Manav Sadhna (India), Mandeep Sethi, MC Humble, Michael Franti, Mitchy Mitch, Nilla Green, Pavithra, Payal Vaghela, Robbie (USA), Rocky Dawuni, Sam Norling, Seasunz, Sila, Spearhead with Sly, Tablapusher, The Afrofunk Experience, The Children of Ritmo en los barrios (Nicaragua), Voudux, Youth Movement Records, Youth Movement Records (USA) | Leave a comment