A charity has launched a major fundraising drive to help set up therapeutic music and drama sessions for young people.

Paiwand, a Harrow-based charity which supports refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants rebuild their lives, is hoping to raise £2,500 for the project.

It currently holds Saturday School sessions for Maths and English to help these kids integrate into British society.

Now, after securing a generous £7,500 grant from Harrow Council and the Young Harrow Foundation, it hopes to introduce music and drama into its programme.

Farid Mall, founder of Paiwand who fled Afghanistan with his family in 1998, said:  “Having arrived in the UK myself with two young boys aged seven and ten, I know first-hand the tough emotional and cultural stresses that young people in these circumstances face.

“Creative subjects like drama and music give children a forum to express themselves in a healthy way.

“There’s also growing evidence to support the fact that engaging in subjects like music and art can help kids to do better in their core academic subjects.”

The charity hopes to collect a further £2,500 from the public to hit its £10,000 target. This money will help recruit two specialist teachers who can run therapeutic sessions for the children. It will also fund a theatre trip so they can see ‘drama in action’.

Faris added: “More and more mainstream schools are facing pressure to cut back on music and drama in favour of core subjects.

“The families of the kids we work with often can’t afford to enroll them in these activities outside of school.

“This is such a shame, and we want to protect these important enrichment activities for kids in Harrow.”

To support the project, click here.