Building Community Through Music

This summer, I interned at 88 International, a non-profit organization founded by American Pianist and entrepreneur Kimball Gallagher. Its mission is to foster social inclusion and transformation through music for youth in Tunisia, Saint Martin, and Senegal. For example, since 2016, 88 International has launched 592 student-led music clubs in all public high schools of Tunisia, where students are provided with structure and support to compose songs, receive leadership and creativity trainings, and develop a sense of purpose and authorship.  ​

Over two months, I worked on 3 main projects: ​

First, I coached 20 university students to write individual songs in the prospect of becoming creativity trainers for Tunisia88 club members. I hosted 30 hours of workshops on songwriting and composition and was mentored by professional pianist and Julliard graduate, Kimball Gallagher. I developed my creative toolkit, pedagogical skills, and got to meet passionate young artists. ​

Second, I shot, directed, and edited a short documentary to introduce a Tunisia88 club to foreign audiences. I also curated Instagram content for 88international to increase the reach of the program. This was my first time doing video editing of any kind. I learned everything on the spot, implemented feedback and created a format that later became a series for the organization communication. ​

Finally, I travelled to Senegal to work on the expansion of the Senegal88 branch started in February 2023. I coordinated coaching sessions with club leaders, filmed and edited student performances, and pitched the project to partners and potential sponsors which was my favorite part because it ignited a thirst for connections, and project development on the African continent. ​

This internship was a life-changing experience where I fostered a deeper understanding of the innerworkings development projects and their context-specific challenges. I learned about the importance of creating local eco-systems that ensure project sustainability and how to develop compelling fundraising strategies. I also challenged myself to do things I had never done before, like editing films, teaching song-writing, and large-scale project planning.  ​

Internship funded by the Preston Public Interest Career Fund​​.

​