Students in Thanda’s Art Program receive a meal each day and, in addition to doing art, spend time getting help with their homework and learning essential life skills.

Expression

Through intensive practice and study of art, students learn how to explore creative concepts, concentrate on themes, and use events in their own lives to reflect on their surroundings. We have students combine art with journaling, which together serve as therapeutic tools for kids who lack healthy ways of releasing the pressures they face due to their day-to-day struggles.

Pride

One of the many advantages of practicing art is gaining self-esteem. When our students complete a project, they understand how good it feels to be responsible not only for a finished product, but for a meaningful piece of art as well. Thanda’s Art Program hosts an annual art show, where students invite their peers to see their original creations. Visitors are always awestruck by the artwork, and they often share in the art students’ pride as members of the same community.

Marketable Skills

In a country where almost half of the population is unemployed, youth who grow up in rural areas face incredible economic challenges. Students in Thanda’s Art Program are familiarized with various art techniques and are given a chance to explore entrepreneurial options. With their passion for art and sense of creativity, students obtain the skills and knowledge they would need to start their own craft businesses and enter the commercial market, where they can make livelihoods for themselves to support their families.