Indie rocker sends graduates on mission of mercy

16 Dec 2013

A group of newly qualified University of Manchester graduates are bidding for a Christmas number one, as they set off on a mission to build a school in East Africa – by teaming up with a top Indie drummer.

Two Door Cinema Club’s Ben Thompson performed with the charity - called the Mlambe Project – which is working with Mlambe village, Southern Malawi, to build a primary school for 480 children.

The desperately needed school will be a boost for local teachers, who struggle to cope with around 97 pupils per class, though as many as 150 study in some lessons.

The scheme uniquely aims to support students in their final two years of study, by helping them to design a project to work on when they graduate.

Teaming up with children’s charity Wings of Hope, it is the first scheme of its kind in the UK and the song – called Rolling On by Phil Hussey – will provide a welcome boost to their efforts. Adam Rutherford, from the band Machine People also plays bass.

Project Manager Jamie Proctor, a Physics and Philosophy graduate from Sussex, together with a group of friends - who were all at the University - came up with the idea while studying.

He said: “After we came up with the idea for the graduate programme, we felt the best way to get it established would be to run the first project ourselves, to prove that it really works.

“This is much more than your standard 'gap year' work experience scheme. It’s a substantial commitment for students and fantastic opportunity for newly qualified graduates to make a real difference without having to pay for the privilege.

“It’s also a powerful way to get work experience and make yourself a more attractive prospect for employers.”

The team has worked tirelessly over the past year to raise the money for The Mlambe Project with the backing and support of a local charity called HELP Malawi, with the support of the University and local Rotary Clubs.

Their efforts included a mobile phone charging stall at the Glastonbury music festival, utilising their skills to make bike generators and a charging set up. They also run a fortnightly live music event in Brighton called Backjammin.

Jamie Proctor also set up a primary education fundraising programme - getting schools in the UK to twin their classroom with one they are building in Mlambe.

More recently the team has recruited more volunteers from Manchester, Brighton and Sussex universities to help them raise cash. This Christmas, they are running an online Crowdfunding campaign to raise more money.

Jamie added: "We urge the public to log on to our crowdfunding campaign and back the project. In return you will receive perks which range from our Christmas single to naming a classroom and visiting Mlambe on a luxury tour of Malawi.

“But first and for most – get the song!”