BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL
The model blends three elements that reinforce one another. Music pedagogy provides ensemble-based instruction and performance pathways. Life-skills curricula translate musical routines into behaviors linked to education, health, and employability. Local partnerships deliver access to hard-to-reach populations and create continuity of care. Revenue is primarily philanthropic. Individual and corporate donations account for roughly ninety-nine percent of income. This concentration made the organization vulnerable during the pandemic, when total income declined by approximately thirty-five percent.
Program activity remained significant in 2021 despite public-health constraints. Brass for Africa served 1,254 children, delivered more than 1,200 lessons in music and life skills, and collaborated with nineteen local partners. International stakeholders, including Oxfam Voices, PEPFAR, and the British Army’s Royal Corps of Army Music, supported specific projects and talent development.
STRATEGIC CHALLENGE
Leadership set four strategic goals for 2019: gender equality, disability inclusion, community empowerment, and workplace preparedness. Progress against these aims depends on stable funding and diversified revenue. The organization’s near-total reliance on donations exposes it to exogenous shocks and creates planning uncertainty. The strategic question is how to diversify income without diluting mission, overextending staff, or compromising program quality. Options include fee-for-service offerings, social enterprise activities, performance and touring income, and media products that can reach global audiences at scale.
VALUE-ADDED CONCEPT
The case team proposes a narrative musical film that features Brass for Africa students and teachers as musicians and on-screen subjects. The concept aims to document personal and community transformation, connect program work to the Sustainable Development Goals, and build a global audience that can translate attention into durable revenue streams. The project would differ from the organization’s existing documentary, Topowa, by targeting a broader cinematic audience with a scripted story, professional production values, and a distribution plan designed for commercial and streaming channels.
The film is intended to serve multiple purposes. It would create an asset that can generate direct income through theatrical release, streaming, licensing, and ancillary products. It would expand the fundraising funnel by pairing storytelling with frictionless digital giving and sponsorship. It would strengthen brand equity in Africa and internationally, which could accelerate recruitment, partnerships, and advocacy on issues such as HIV stigma and gender-based violence.
IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
Execution would require a phased approach. Development would define storyline, rights, and financing. Pre-production would recruit talent and crews, select locations through community partners, and codify how learners participate in performance and soundtrack recording. Production would combine observational footage from program sites with scripted scenes. Post-production would integrate music tracks performed by Brass for Africa participants under the guidance of staff and a professional composer. Distribution would pursue festivals, streaming platforms, and targeted campaigns that connect viewers to donation and sponsorship pathways.
Several risks must be addressed. The timeline could extend to four or five years depending on financing, which introduces schedule and cost uncertainty. Specialized capabilities in film production are not core to the current team, which implies new hires or partnerships. Safeguarding and consent frameworks must protect children and families on camera. Training participants for on-screen performance requires time that might compete with core learning. A teaser strategy, produced with a partner and funded through restricted gifts, could test audience demand, refine scope, and de-risk a full feature.
