On 28th March 2025, a huge 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar, causing thousands of deaths and many more displacements, in a country already destabilised through years of civil war, ethnic persecution, and military rule.
Just before the earthquake hit, we were approached by the Myanmar Jazz Club, a group of jazz musicians aiming to promote peace and community building in Myanmar through jazz. But after the earthquake, the nature of our conversation changed, and they asked us to train some of their musicians in our methodology, so that they could put this into practice with people displaced by the earthquake.
We said yes.
Our trainer Otto de Jong trained a group of musicians in Myanmar from The Netherlands in April, and since then, the Myanmar Jazz Club has helped more than 2,000 people displaced by the earthquake to build resilience against the trauma of what happened. Below, we’ve shared just a few stories that have come out of the Jazz Club’s workshops using our methodology…
A reflection from one of the first sessions
The sessions with people displaced and affected by the earthquake began in early May, and had an immediate impact on the people who attended. One person who came to a workshop said:
“We are really grateful to have such kind of warm atmosphere provided from the facilitators. We mostly receive other basic needs and food supplies but those mental awareness and facilitation combining with music really give the inner peace and tranquility to each of them, not only for the children also for the different ages. They hope more music facilitation and healing moreover more contribution to the other people in another suburbs could join in the future. They deeply welcome the team.”
One boy’s heartbreaking story
In one of the camps for displaced people, the trainers found a little boy whose father tragically died in the earthquake. They found out that his father was a very talented guitarist, and asked if he knew any of the songs his father used to sing to him. He said that he did, and the trainers invited him onto the stage to sing that song for the whole community. It was a very precious moment.
The power of a hug
Sometimes, you don’t need words to say everything…
A photographer in Myanmar captured this heartwarming moment when a child who survived the earthquake hugged one of the Myanmar Jazz Club workers during a free expression workshop.
The children in this workshop were inside their school when the earthquake hit, and many were left traumatized after the building shook violently. These workshops are designed to address residual fear that the children may have around their school building, and facilitate their return to regular schooling.
The trainer said afterwards: “In that brief moment, I was deeply moved by the sense of safety, affection, and attachment the child displayed. For a few seconds, I felt a kind of tender happiness I can’t quite put into words.”
The power of music is a wondrous thing. Building strength, resilience, and community is needed across the world in areas affected by disaster, whether it be natural or man-made. Please support us this summer, so that we can keep spreading the power of music, and use it to help people who are in need.
