Avo and SAB have partnered to add a bit of creative sparkle to kids from the Mother of Peace Community and a great group of 9 year olds from the local squatter camp. Once a month, we spend a morning playing together.

In the first workshop, they painted huge trees on paper with their hands. This was done in the chapel and the volunteers spent more time cleaning the floor than supervising the children who were having a fabulous time blending, smooshing and generally ‘experiencing’ the wonder of paint.

The next workshop saw them designing the art work on their own personalised t-shirts to wear whilst being little Picasso’s. This became a sudden necessity when we sent the children home after the first workshop looking a little worse for wear (did I say they were painting trees or themselves? It’s amazing how quickly a clear brief can transmogrify itself into complete chaos!)

The third workshop was a plasticine sculpture workshop. After talking about how animals defend themselves, the children were challenged to invent their own beast with the most protective bits they could imagine. Once again, great fun was had as plasticine strips were twisted together and kebab sticks were used to hold the creations together.

The fourth workshop, held yesterday, was a beading workshop. Everyone became completely absorbed in designing their own key ring, bracelets and necklaces. Bling was in and the finished products were quite dazzling. Even the little two year olds, Princess and Dido, stunned us by carefully feeding one precious bead at a time onto tiger tail wire, with only a little help from the facilitators. 

Special thanks to all the facilitators: Andile Bhengu and Dale September from SAB: your involvement and enthusiasm is deeply appreciated. Renee Koekemoer from Standard Bank, thank you for also helping to design the innovative programme. Jeanette Dace, thanks for also being our logistics boff. Jeanne-Mare Africa, we are so glad that you initiated this art programme. Jean Claude from Mother of Peace, thanks for doing all the liaising, fetching and carrying of the children from the local school.