5th grader donates 100th guitar to Nicaraguan children

Adara Claphan, 10, is not only learning to play guitar herself—she also is raising money so that poor children in Nicaragua will have guitars to play. One of the guitars she is sponsoring is the 100th to be donated through HeartStrings, a program of Wichita nonprofit Trees for Life International—bringing the count halfway to the overall goal of 200 guitars.

Adara, a fifth grader at a public school in Wichita, was inspired when she visited the Trees for Life office with her grandfather. There she met Balbir Mathur, president of Trees for Life. Mathur told her about HeartStrings, a movement to provide guitars to kids in Nicaragua who can’t afford musical instruments.

The guitars, which normally sell for $350 each, are being offered by the Manuel Rodriguez & Sons guitar company for only $50 each as a gift to children in impoverished areas of Nicaragua. The guitars will go to libraries established by a branch of Trees for Life called “Books for Life.” That way, each guitar will be enjoyed by many children.

The idea struck a chord with Adara. “I told Balbir, ‘Actually, I play guitar, so that would be pretty cool if I could send one of these.’ And he told me, ‘Well, you could make this into a fundraiser.’”
Later in her visit, Adara saw volunteers making jewelry out of beads from India. That sparked another idea. “I said, ‘Why don’t I sell these, and that’s how I’ll make the money.’”

Adara started selling the necklaces and earrings for $5 each to people at her school and church, and going door-to-door in her neighborhood. She explains to people, “Each time I raise $50, they will send a guitar to Nicaragua.”

Adara says the response has been positive and generous. “People say, ‘Oh, that’s really nice that you’re doing that.’ And sometimes I get, ‘I don’t want the jewelry, but I will just give you $5 to donate.’… And one time a girl bought three necklaces and then handed me $30 and told me to keep the change.”

Adara is excited about giving the 100th guitar through HeartStrings. “It makes me feel really good, because I heard the goal was 200 guitars, and I sent the 100th guitar. And I hope to send a couple more, so I got more necklaces and earrings, and I’ve been selling again.”

For information or to donate: http://www.booksforlife.org/heartstrings

Source: Press Release