Thanks for Your Generosity!

Article by DrawChange.org

We have returned from our journey to Ethiopia, and our experience could not have been more successful. We’re so excited to share all about it! Meeting the teachers, mothers, and children at the preschool and learning about their culture was so wonderful! Please continue reading to hear a team member’s recap of her journey.

Just like in our Atlanta and Costa Rica programs, we showed the children love and compassion through art and helped them boost their imagination and creativity in our projects. The language barrier seemed like a challenge at first because we were unable to ask the children about their art the way we would here in America. However, we quickly realized that communicating fluently with the children was not a necessity to a successful program, and we actually gained many strengths out of the barrier. Less talking and more silent understanding taught them the beauty of speaking and showing emotion and communicating without words–the exact reason why art is so beneficial to us all in the first place.

Through our projects, we taught the children about about creating something out of nothing, as well as focusing on things that make them happy, making wishes for their future, thinking about who their personal heroes are in their lives, making something special for their loved ones, and the beauty of playing with play dough and pipe cleaners and getting messy with finger paint! We created their own “Magical Art Room” out of an empty classroom where they can now go to create all the time! 

We loved sharing such special moments with these sweet children, watching their faces light up as they created art with their teachers and friends. We even had a chance to create similar art projects with their mothers so that they could understand the full scope of what our program does for their children and their families. They loved relaxing with art just as much as their children! In addition to creating art with the children and their mothers, we met with the teachers at the school for an hour each day to create art with them and train them on the values, standards, and importance of drawchange. We are pleased to know they have the knowledge and resources they need to continue our program at the school while we are back home in Atlanta!

We are so honored to have been a part of such a profound and rewarding experience. We cannot wait to go back and see all our newfound Ethiopian friends next year! Check out our photos on our Facebook page to see all the smiles and fun!

We couldn’t thank our partners Art of Esteem, Connected in Hope and Dreaming Zebra® Foundation enough for helping make this worthwhile project a reality for the children!

Thank you for your generosity!

Established in 2009, drawchange is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to aid global change by supplying the world’s children with empowering art experiences, and programs that allow them to effectively visualize a better life for themselves.

Connected in Hope is an innovative non-profit social enterprise & lifestyle brand that empowers women and families in Ethiopia to rise above poverty through sustainable income development, improved educational opportunities and increased access to basic health care.

Art Day Celebration 2015

Meet the Kids: Art Day Celebration 2015 

Meet the Kids: Art Day Celebration 2014

Meet the Kids: Art Day Celebration 2013, Carrefour

Art Day Celebration (ADC) is a collaborative program of Diakonos International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which cultivates and empowers underprivileged and vulnerable children in Haiti. ADC was created to bring healing and restore hope to impoverished and abused children by nurturing their creativity and showcasing their artistry to the world. Its mission is provide children in impoverished communities such as Carrefour, Haiti access to quality artistic activities, including the visual arts, theater, movement and music.

Art Beyond Borders, Fatima School - Costa Rica

Thanks to your generosity, we delivered art supplies to support Art Beyond Borders - Costa Rica in 2014 and 2015. The trip is an annual volunteer mission led by Atlanta's nonprofit drawchange.org.

Drawchange fulfilled a six-year commitment to the children of Fatima School in Cartago, Costa Rica in 2015, traveling as an organization to bring love, hope, and art to the Diques community. These are children who live in poverty, often without basic amenities such as electricity, and it's an honor to give them art supplies to brighten their lives and education.

A special thank you from the kids, for our recent donation of art supplies to artist Jean Bradbury of Studio Syria and Syrian Refugees at Za'atari Camp & the Malki Children's Center in Jordan. Jean writes: "Your kindness reached deeply into the hearts of refugees this week..." Many thanks for supporting our international programs and art for all children.