Hope Through Music: Laconia Music Center’s Instrument Donation to Haiti

Music has long been a source of resilience and hope in Haiti, offering solace in the face of immense challenges. Thanks to the first of several extraordinarily generous donations from Ray Noguera, owner of the Laconia Music Center, hundreds of musical instruments are on their way to young musicians in Haiti eager to learn, grow, and create beauty. The instruments pictured below were loaded up in Long Island in December of 2024 and delivered to the storage facility of our friends: Immigration Family Services Institute and Haiti Education Network. Huge thanks to IFSI, HEN and Evans Gabeau for all of their hard work!

I was delighted to be on hand in Cap Haitian when this first shipment of instruments to BLUME Haiti reached the country, bringing with it opportunities for countless aspiring musicians. To help with the cost of transporting the instruments, we split the donation with the CEMUCHCA Institute of Music - this organization already has 60 annexes throughout the country and will put their portion of the instruments received to very good use.

Many of the donated instruments have already been distributed to music schools across Haiti, while others are awaiting much-needed repairs before they, too, can be put into the hands of eager students. Thanks to our on-site staff of expert repair technicians, Tchoupy Hylaris and Herold Jean Pierre, this should happen quickly!

For many young Haitians, access to an instrument can be life-changing. Music education not only nurtures artistic growth but also instills self-confidence, discipline, and resilience. In a country where over 1 million people have been displaced due to gang violence over the past year (13,000 people were forced from their homes this last week alone), where gangs control 90% of the capital and where the threat of violence is a daily reality, the ability to study music, to become part of the communities created by playing in a band or an orchestra, provides a sense of stability and hope. Music schools across Haiti offer young musicians a refuge, a place to express themselves, and a way to form meaningful connections with others. Making music with others reinforces trust, cooperation, and a shared sense of purpose, serving as a powerful counterforce to the surrounding instability.

Despite these successes, distributing instruments throughout the country has not been without challenges. Due to ongoing security concerns, it has been particularly difficult to transport instruments to the southern region of Haiti. Nevertheless, we remain committed to ensuring that young musicians across the country have the tools they need to thrive, no matter the obstacles.

The remarkable donation from the Laconia Music Center is just the beginning. With continued support from organizations and dedicated individuals around the world, we can keep the music playing in Haiti. Every instrument in the hands of a youngster, every note played is a testament to the power of music to inspire, heal, and transform lives.

If you’d like to support BLUME Haiti’s mission, consider donating an instrument, contributing to repair efforts, or spreading the word about the incredible impact of music education in Haiti. Together, we can ensure that the sound of hope never fades!

info@blumehaiti.org

All photos taken during the month of February, 2025 in Cap Haitian and Ste Suzanne, Haiti