Happy faces at Jambo Jipya......PAINTING PROJECT!!

First picture to be seen as you walk into Jambo Jipya

I had been a volunteer for six weeks and had been teaching at Olives Rehabilitation Centre and Precious Vision when Tess (Project Manager) asked me if I would be interested in a six week project. The project involved painting educational pictures on the school walls of Jambo Jipya School and Orphanage (a new partner that GVI has just started working with).

Jambo Jipya kids and volunteers getting down to some art work

I was thrilled to be asked. It meant I’d get the chance to put my art skills to work which was a great hope of mine before I came out to Kenya.

This was a dream come true.

I first started by visiting Jambo Jipya and measured all the walls. I then spent seven days drawing the pictures on to paper working out which drawings to put on which wall. Then the fun began…………….

Let white washing commence!!

We started the project on the bank holiday Monday in April, so school was closed, but the 43 orphans who live there were eagerly waiting for us ready and willing to help. So we started by white washing the walls. The children were so enthusiastic and we finished white washing by lunch time.

I then started to draw. The children were really interested and asked lots of questions on why I was drawing graphs on the wall and I explained how this made it easier when copying the pictures from paper to wall. Then they all wanted to draw so we gave them paper and pencils and away then went drawing some amazing pictures. Except for one young lad, Ravine (4 years old) who thought it would be a good idea to copy me and started drawing on the walls ahhh!!

Ravine one of Jambo Jipya's eager artists

I tried to explain to him that he wasn’t allowed to draw on the walls. After many attempts of explaining he understood in the end. Every now and again he still kept giving me that look of why can you draw on the walls and I can’t! Some of the older children wanted to help so I let them graph the walls. While others were just happy to watch or get some paper and copy my pictures.

A couple of the boys helping draw outlines

Once the drawings were all completed I outlined them in black. Then came the painting unfortunately I could not find the type of paints I normally use – acrylics. I sent a SOS to my family in England who were amazing!! They purchased 60 tubes of acrylic paint for me and sent them by courier. They arrived four days later.

Thank you!! Without these I would have not been able to achieve the vibrant colours and continued with the painting project.

Then once we had the paints it meant the other GVI volunteers could begin helping fill the outlined pictures with beautiful colours.

Volunteers get colouring!!

While doing this project I have met the most wonderful children, who were so interested in what I was doing. I have spent many hours talking to them about what I was painting, how to achieve different colours by mixing the paints and listening to them talking amongst themselves about the pictures. They’d been learning without even realising.

What's the time??

All the children seem to really like the pictures. For me, the best feeling was when the teachers and students looked at a finished picture; they stood there staring and would say “wow it’s so good.” As we all know when it comes to children they always say what they mean.

I did most of the project during the school holidays which meant that it was only half days and only a small minority of Jambo Jipya children were there.

On the first day, when the whole school was back (over 200 children), Mister Tom the headmaster told me the children were all so captivated by the pictures. So much so that even after the bell had gone he had to tell some of the children to go to class.

Michelle the artist, who's brought Jambo Jipya's walls to life

Before I came out here I wondered if I would leave knowing I had made a difference to some children’s lives. Well hopefully my pictures will act as a learning tool, a source of enjoyment and conversation (which I have already witnessed) for the many children who will walk through the doors at Jambo Jipya .

Michelle 2010

A big Thank You to Michelle, her family, friends and everyone that supported the painting project!! Your help has been invaluable, as are the smiles on the faces now at Jambo Jipya.

Thank you!!

Happy faces at Jambo Jipya......PAINTING PROJECT!!