MY EXPERIENCE AS ART TEACHER

I am Wesley Otieno a 20 years old visual and digital art artist. I started drawing when I was young. When I got to class 3, I learned how to draw from observation and mostly I drew characters from the text book and comic books. I use art to express moods, feelings, emotions or even making stories.

I am specialized in doing cubism art that help me show different feelings, moods and emotion. Besides cubism art, I also know other types of art like landscapes, portraits using different mediums like charcoal, paints (oil or acrylic and water colours), pencils, pens and pastel (soft, oil)

When I finished highschool, I already knew how to draw and also came up with my own art ideas concerning cubism art and other types of art. I also started helping others nature their talents . Month later, I joined an organization called 'Future Within' with Calvin Juma has the founder. I helped them teach their kids how to draw and share some ideas I have concerning art.

My experience with the kids have been good because the kids are improving on their skills and they are so happy that they can draw.

My goal is to help upcoming artist and children to discover their talent and to perfect on my skills so that I can help the upcoming artist to come up with their own ideas. 

My experience with the kids have been good, the kids are improving on their skills and they are also happy that they can also draw.

I would like to thank our project manager Luca Luigi Aschieri from Italy for supporting our kids from the start and giving them a chance to nature their talents. God bless you and your family. I appreciate you for supporting us, thank you very much.

APPRECIATION TO OUR SPONSORS

 My name is Larine Akinyi, I live in slums of Kibera. I am 10years old and going to grade 6 next year. It's good that God has granted us this wonderful day although other people did not see it.

I would like to write this note for our sponsors and to people in the world to know about the activities we do.

Firstly, it is good that I was able to join this program. I am so much aware that there are some people who don't appreciate what we do.

I am so much disappointed with this kind human thinking. As one of the committed student who usually attends the arts classes and with the deep information I have gain so far about our project, I would like to say that this project is important and with good intention to help us become better people.

Secondly, I would like to appreciate our sponsors for supporting us with somethings that we do use. We appreciate you for bringing this learning section of art and culture for us children living in slums and yo bring hope to us for a better future.

It would be great if you people as our sponsors continue supporting us and giving us a room to improve our lives. In future, if all goes well, we hope and wish that this project will grow big and many people all over the world will follow and support our work. 

May God grant you with enough resources to continue spreading this good deeds to other children who may like to reach this place even for children's with special needs. Special thanks to you all.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE POWER OF ART

My name is Mary Jessica, I am twelve years old. I live in Kibera with my family. I didn't know how to draw and so my friends used to laugh at me for that and so I didn't like anything to do with drawing. I kept on one thing in my mind that everything is possible. Mr Calvin, brought me a teacher called Wesley. He taught me how to draw and encourage me that I can do it. 

Our teacher announced that there is a drawing group he wants to form and from there he taught my friends and I. 

He also asked us to call other childrens that were interested in drawing and the family grew in number since we many, Calvin, the director asked our supporter honourable Luca to help us get a space for drawing and reading.

We are all grateful and happy for getting a good space and comfortable for drawing. We don't only use the space to draw but also use it to practice singing and dancing. We also learn some life skills.

We are so happy to have another person to support us by the name Donna. She and Luca agreed to help and support our dreams. Since then, we've been getting stationeries like pens, colours, books and drawing boards which has helped us to grow bigger in art. I thank you all for helping me to discover my talent. 

 Thanks for taking your time to read my story and may the good Lord bless you all!

My life experience with art

 My name is Devilon Junior Omondi . I was born in 2008 November 20th. I live  in Kibera slum . I started drawing when I was Grade three . Everyday I was drawing and giving to my teacher but sometime I could not draw because I did not have materials and someone to help me with materials . When I joined Calvin program and I started perfecting my skills .

 When I was in the  program I learn new things that I did not know . When I saw the place was perfect I invited my friends who had the same skills like me and others. As time went by we were many and the place was too small  to host us . So Calvin and I sat down and came up with an idea of renting a room.

 Now we have a room  and the number of children is getting bigger and bigger every single day . We are so thankful and grateful . I know that you are God sent and do not stop the good job that you are doing and God will bless you more and more.

 When I grow up I would like to empower children who have the skills of drawing and others just like you empower me . THANK YOU CALVIN AND LUCA FOR SURPORTING ME AND OTHER CHILDREN GOD BLESS YOU. MARY CHRISMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. 

Future Within Young Talents

 FUTURE WITHIN YOUNG TALENTS

This blog is meant for our young talented kids in slums of Kibera. We promote artistic skills, education  and rational thinking. We believe that art education is a powerful tool to change the world, as it bring awareness to social issues and foster a sense of acceptance-bringing people together regardless of background.

I am Calvin Juma  from Kenya living in slums of  Nairobi Kibera. I am so passionate in community service and social change.  I would first of all like to take this opportunity to explain better on how this initiative was born. My wife and I met Luca Luigi from Italy in Facebook by chance. We had some conversation and get to know each other better. 

It is with great thanks that Luca was also an enthusiast of social change and we develop a common interest. He proposed to us an idea of starting an art project as he was so passionate in cultivating artistic talents. Before then, I was engaging in other community activities including: environmental cleanup and conservation, empowering young women, poultry keeping and diseases management, kitchen gardening and other life transforming initiatives.

We started the art classes in my house and few students begin to develop interest in drawing, though some of them had the artistic skills but lack some space to practice and express their artistic idea.

However,  Luca was supporting us to ensure the kids had enough learning materials to thrive .It eventually led to self-complacency between us and the kids. At least, I could say there were glimmers of hope knowing that there was someone out there who cares and was ready to collaborate with us to promote artistic talent and to restore hope.

It's so unfortunate, that art is underrated in the world and in the field of International cooperation. I believe that humanity has always finds ways of expressions from writing to music, painting, sculpting, storytelling and more. Art should never be underrated because they help make us feel better.

For our children in Kibera slums, this has been extremely vital opportunity for them to be able to express themselves freely and to command a specific information to the community about what they feel. We realized that not all children are able to express themselves verbally and are always embarrassed to speak in public. 

As the kid's continue drawing, we realized there was a great need to find a public space for kids to practice not only drawing but also life skills and other educational trainings.

Gradually, we are still growing and many kids have joined us. Our goal is to unlock kids full potential through arts and to create a world where art is valued. We are also committed to promoting education and recently our kids started writing their own stories to enhance their creativity.  We hope to find more people that are willing to cooperate and partner with us to continue creating a lasting change in the community and across the world. Together we can make a difference and change the world.