Not every child in Africa is hungry.

But children in Uganda almost expect to be poor. Millions of teenagers with low expectations of life feel that nothing good will ever happen to them.

Brass music is making a big difference to the lives of youngsters in Mbale, east Uganda. We spoke to Philip Monk - music teacher and founder of the country's first sitting-down, reading-music brass band.

Here's the plan

Each month we'll chose one of our brass band arrangements.

For every copy you buy, we'll donate £5 to the Mbale District Youth Band appeal.

"Teaching a child a musical instrument is not just about the playing. It's also an opportunity for a child to develop a sense of self-esteem, and of belonging to something.

When I started the band, I assumed the main problem would be music and teaching. In practice, running a brass band in this part of the world means being a combination of social worker, health visitor, nurse, teacher, taxi driver and food and water provider."

Aspirations

With your help, the band are hoping to play in next year's Whit Friday contest in Oldham.

"We need to show Uganda what we have been able to achieve in the band. No group of children here has ever played western music to an overseas audience.

We've managed to get instruments, stands and music, and the children can play a competent hymn tune from the red book, and make a reasonable attempt at a march.

If we can get to Oldham on Whit Friday we will almost certainly finish last in the contest, but it would be a huge step forward for the youth of Uganda in terms of culture, aspirations and mindset."

Each month, Big Shiny Brass will have a featured charity arrangement. For every copy you buy, we'll donate £5 to ugive2uganda, the charity funding the Mbale District Youth Band.

You can find out more at www.ugive2uganda.com

(ugive2uganda is a registered UK charity, no. 1115196)