Chavez makes musical instruments out of recycled rubbish from the tip and gives them to local children, as well as teaching them how to play. His story is told in an upcoming documentary, which you can watch the trailer for below.
This project began when a worker at the tip showed him a piece of metal shaped like a violin, which he then fashioned into an instrument. After that he set upon creating a whole orchestra out of repurposed garbage, and teaching a legion of kids how to play them.
“A community like Cateura, is not a place to have a violin, in fact, a violin is worth more than a house here,” says Chavez.
He is making a huge difference in the community, allowing children to play music who would never have had a chance to otherwise and the impact he is having on the kids is huge. “When I listen to the sound of a violin, I feel butterflies in my stomach,” says one of the children, “it’s a feeling that I don’t know how to explain.”
“My life would be worthless, without music,” remarks another. Whilst this may seem hyperbolic, the benefit that the escape that music provides for a child living in poverty can hardly be measured.
The documentary will be shown at the Gold Coast Film Festival. For more information, visit: http://www.landfillharmonicmovie.com/
