DRAW YOUR DREAMS project at Starkid School and Rescue Centre in Githogoro Slum in Nairobi

In early 2017 Watu kwa Watu Charitable Trust, has received from the Dinesh Doshi Art Fund, based in the New York State, the donation of 750 sets of drawing supplies – boxes color crayons and drawing books – for distribution to the schools, with which our Trust is collaborating in Nairobi and in Western Kenya. The donation was facilitated by the African Children Haven (ACH), Watu’s partner organization in Galveston, Texas. The donation is to be used to support art education at the pre-school and early primary level (in principle age 3 to 12). A drawing project, or competition, titled “Draw your Dreams” is envisaged as an early element of this process in each of the schools.

The idea is that children, in each participating class in each school, will be invited to to draw positive images of their future as individuals (kind of work they would like to do, the family situation, their future home and immediate environment etc), as well as their dreams for the future of their country, its nature and its development. The best pictures are to be chosen and photographed / scanned for sharing with other schools and with sponsors. To ensure that the pictures are really drawn by the children themselves (not by parents or elder siblings or friends), it is recommended that the drawing activities take place in the classrooms under teachers’ supervision. When not in use, the crayons and drawing books should also be guarded by teachers.

It was agreed with the sponsors, that f the first stage of this program is a success, additional crayon sets and drawing books may be available for the same schools, and for additional schools. The first stage has covered 5 schools in Nairobi area and 2 in Western Kenya.

Given a success of the first stage, DRAW YOUR DREAMS has been expanding, providing additional supplies, and initiating in early 2018, in some schools the second stage encouraging children to draw their positive dreams about the future of their country Kenya, and of their locality.