Music Production Class for N'djamena Youth

 N’djamena Chad

Members: Mustapha Sulihat, Saleh Ismail, Adoum Samuel, Abubakar Usman Abdu, Ibn Mahadi Tahir

usmanabduabubakar2@gmail.com

+2356206161749

What does humanism mean to you?

My humanism is influenced by my curiosity, since I cannot attend school. I am an autodidact who loves to read. My reading first introduced me to atheism books, that of Richard Dawkins and the paleontologist Stephen Jay Goulds. I was convinced there is no God and still yet somehow convinced we have to be good humans, atheism didn’t give me this. Humanism did, and many YouTube videos cemented my faith in secular humanism. I live my life as a humanist, I try to be good to my neighbors, indulge in moderate hedonism, and contribute to the greater good of mankind.

Project Description

This project seeks $300 in funding to host a comprehensive, free music production class for 50 aspiring youth in N’Djamena, operated by the N’Djamena Humanist Collective. To maximize our limited resources and ensure every participant receives adequate hands-on experience, the 50 students will be divided into three distinct sets. The training will be hosted our local internet cafe. By utilizing the cafe as a makeshift digital studio, we completely eliminate the prohibitive overhead costs of purchasing new laptops and can efficiently leverage existing community infrastructure.

Many young creatives in our community have a deep passion for songwriting and audio production particularly exploring expressive, high-energy genres like punk rock and alternative music but they lack access to digital audio workstations (DAWs), reliable internet, and professional guidance. The internet cafe environment will provide a structured space where students can learn the fundamentals of beat-making, audio editing, vocal recording, and digital mixing. The curriculum is designed to take them from absolute beginners to capable entry-level producers.

With the highly targeted $300 budget, the project will cover the Operations of the internet cafe  for the duration of the three sets and secure the high-speed data necessary for downloading software and sample packs. It will also fund affordable, short-term educational licenses for entry-level music production software, along with digital and printed study materials. By keeping costs incredibly low and utilizing shared spaces, this initiative gives 50 individuals the foundational digital skills needed to express themselves creatively, with the potential to turn their musical passions into freelance audio engineering opportunities.

Budget

Internet Cafe Space Operational cost for 3 months  – $140

Booking of computer stations for the 3 distinct training sets (approximately 15-17 students per set).

Purchase of microphones, cords and professional sound mixer

Internet Data Package – $60

High-speed data allocation specifically for downloading DAWs, plugins, and cloud-saving large audio files during the sessions.

Software & Licensing Costs – $50

Short-term educational subscriptions for cloud-based or entry-level DAWs.

Access to budget-friendly sample packs and royalty-free instrumental stems for practice.

Training Supplies & Study Materials – $50

Printed production handbooks, shortcut cheat sheets, notebooks, and pens.

2 USB flash drives for transferring project files and plugins locally among cafe computers.

Total: $300

Expected Income from Project, with Timeline

Although this initial 3-set music production class is entirely free to ensure maximum accessibility for the 50 students, the initiative is structured to eventually generate sustainable income for the collective. Following the completion of the free sets, the center will offer advanced, specialized masterclasses (e.g., advanced vocal mixing, specific genre songwriting) at a modest fee of $3–$5 per session for those able to pay. We anticipate that within three months post-project, these optional paid advanced sessions could generate a modest $30–$50 monthly. This revenue will be reinvested to sustain future internet cafe rentals, renew software licenses, and expand community arts programs.

Benefits to your Community

1. Equips 50 youths in N'djamena with practical digital literacy and specialized audio software skills.

2. Fosters a safe, collaborative space for artistic expression, songwriting, and storytelling.

3. Utilizes existing local infrastructure (internet cafes) efficiently for community education.

4. Provides pathways for freelance income in audio editing, podcast production, and music mixing.

5. Empowers marginalized individuals by removing financial barriers to creative technology.

6. Strengthens community organization and social inclusion through shared creative goals.