Restoring the Sound is a project that was birthed by Trevor Sampson, a professional Gospel singer, songwriter, producer and recording engineer. Trevor, who hails from Cape Town, has a vision to empower young school goers who are vulnerable to the surroundings and circumstances to which they have fallen victim. Trevor grew up in a township and understands the challenges and difficulties of township life.
Many youngsters, even after being exposed to good role models, fall prey to the strong influence of gangsterism and all the baggage that comes with it. As many of these kids grow up in dysfunctional families, the need to belong is great and most gangs fulfill that need. In the gangs, these kids get shown street survival skills of all sorts. Obviously, power and control plays a big role in the process, so at a very early age most of these children get in conflict with the law and one thing leads to another. The Arts, and in particular Music, play a major part in our culture and therefore are seen as a powerful communicative tool. Trevor sees it not only as a tool but also a weapon if used and channeled correctly.
His intention is to equip the youngsters with musical instruments which he collects through his network of friends in organizations abroad, teach them how to use these instruments in a proper way to better themselves and, in so doing, better their community.

Communities to be reached and benefited

• High priority is placed on the disadvantaged communities across the racial, social and religious barriers.
• There will be no discrimination against a talent based on race, religious or social background. If the person has talent and has need for upliftment, we will help.
• The motivation is being based on strong Christian principles; therefore the focus will be to help the person become whole and free to live out his God given creativity.

Nature of our operation

Our operation has a strong emphasis on the performing and visual arts, with music being the dominant form.
We have several phases to our operation.

• Identifying talent in schools, youth clubs, churches etc.
• Music training and development
• Recording and documenting of the musical works
• Performing, entertaining and marketing the new talent

Goals

• To restore the sound of Africa starting in the various regions in Southern Africa, in it’s most grass roots form.
  
• To identify talent within disadvantaged communities in children from as young as five years of age to the older, neglected fathers and mothers who still have a love and passion for music.
  
• To train and help impart skills to those who have such a need for the purpose of a project within the community.
  
• To capture on CD,DVD and Electronic book forms, the musical works of art in each community. This will then be a tool for the community to provide a platform for future betterment within the community and further growth for the artists.
• To put on display over a few days of celebration that which we have discovered by means of a production of the performances.
  
• To start a fund to which a proportion of profit from sales can be channelled to the relevant community.
  
• To generate funding to further the upliftment of the local artists (i.e. bursaries, purchasing of instruments and equipment, teaching materials and funding for future projects.)
  
• To leave a structure in place within the community whereby new talent can be channelled through.
  
• To educate the aspiring artist on their rights and responsibilities to their works and to ensure that all intellectual property is registered in the composer/author’s name with the proper legal companies acting on their behalf.
  
• To see dignity, hope, joy and everything that comes with a good heritage restored to the rightful owners.