The SONG Project’s Impact
“Working with Natalie during the songwriting workshop was such a delight. She has a special mix of being professional and creative which brings a nice touch to the group. She knows how to work with different personalities and help bring out the best songwriter in anyone!”
Jasmine Marino
Sex Trafficking Survivor & Advocate
“Songwriting is a way to tell my story without judgment… As a survivor I feel it is the best way to tell my story… Music is healing and takes my mind to another place.” – SONG Project Participant at Amirah
“Writing a song together has improved our relationships with each other.” – SONG Project Participant at Amirah
“It makes me more aware that others can relate to my experience.” – SONG Project Participant at Amirah
“I valued telling my story mixed with others and singing and hearing everyone’s voice” – SONG Project Participant at Amirah
“I felt empowered when the girls and I wrote lyrics that identify our journey” – SONG Project Participant at Amirah
“I learned that expressing myself in music gets out the sadness and anger inside of me.” – SONG Project Participant at Amirah
“Natalie works with our residents to help them find and use their voice. She has worked with our women to write songs as a team and to write them individually. The Song Project educates them about songwriting and encourages them to use music as a means of healing. In The Song Project they are free to express their hopes, fears, pain and joys. It is a safe and empowering space to tell their story.”
Brooke Park
Case Manager and Counselor at Amirah
Written feedback from students in Uganda:
“Through song people can understand more problems, so much problems because nobody can hate music. All the people love music. That [is] why I’ve decided to put this thing through song. Through songwriting all my communities will understand the real thing which has happened to me. And also to inform those people if you have problem, don’t hide it. Turn to your friends for counseling because hiding problems creates more diseases to your heart.” – Alfa Obol (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“I know I have learned a lot from you about writing a song and how to create a new song on my own and it has been so encouraging because I am now strong and I can teach others also to write songs.” Rosemary Amony (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“I like learning guitar because if I am remember[ing] what happen[ed] to me during the war and I take guitar and then I begin to play it, it can stop me from thinking such a bad thing anymore.” – Daniel Comboni (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“ I like your program on songwriting and I have learned a lot from you since you came. It’s also improved my English pronunciation.” – Catherine Acayo (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“It has been so great because the love you have shown us by teaching us with the song Wavin’ Flag this has made to write stories and transform it in to my own song.” – Foska Anying (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“I come to realize through music people can understand more about your problem, killing and all the activity which has taken place [in] the pas[t] and hoping for the future… I advise all the youth to come and join our hands together in music so that we can pave the way for our future.” – Alfa Obol (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“I really feel very happy about my song because it made me remember what has already past and it also teach me on what ha[s] been happening in the past when I [was] young so it also tells me to leave what is already past and start a new life.” – Alice Anyango (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“This program is very very good because it [has] change[d] my life a lot and I now know how write my own songs and I promise to continue writing stories to a songs. I’m requesting you people to continue with that spirit I hope that will change many people lives like the way it’s happen to me.” – Daniel Comboni (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“Songwriting made my life much better because I can write my song and sing it very well. So when I go home I will make sure that I teach our families how to sing Wavin’ Flag and A Little Help From my Friends and many others.” – Alice Abalo (Pader, Uganda 2011)
“I’m very proud of my song because I can now record my own song in the studio and I can now change my stories into songs.” – Daniel Comboni (Pader, Uganda 2011)