The Mobile Art School in Kenya (MASK) joins the HHFL family and shares their love of art with our children! (www.mobileartschoolinkenya.org)
When arts and crafts was removed from the Kenyan school curriculum, Alla Tkachuk, a Kenyan native, decided to form a charity called Mobile Art School in Kenya (MASK) in 2003. It is the only organization in Kenya (and East Africa) that gives active support to the young people, especially those in rural areas and victims of conflict, in developing their creativity. MASK is also the only such organization in Kenya that promotes peace and social justice amongst schoolchildren through the arts.
John Githiri, one of MASK’s volunteer mobile art teachers, got involved with MASK while he was a student at the University of Nairobi. He had visited a motel where he saw a painting that captured his attention. “I asked the staff who had painted the piece and whether they could give me her contacts so that I could challenge her,” said Mr Githiri. This marked a partnership with Alla who later recruited other volunteers who teach the young artists.
John visits HHFL on Saturdays and runs workshops for our children with Duncan, HHFL’s art director. The workshops are followed by art lessons where the children work together to produce beautiful art work and hone their artistic skills. The children are divided into five classes of 25 students each.
“Think of shapes, name a shape you know, if you so wish, get a background and go ahead and paint,” John tells our kids. He uses drumbeat to “motivate the young artists to think of shapes to paint”.
The Nation, the leading Kenyan newspaper, published a wonderful article about MASK on Sunday May the 16. They are very proud of their work and its impact on the young.
And we couldn’t be more delighted to be working with them!
Please click on the link below to read the article.
