Art Resources & Materials - for Kakuma Refugee Children

Hello, my name is Laura, and I am fundraising on behalf of 'Life Skills for Better Future' .

'Life Skills for Better Future' is a community led organisation based in the Kakuma refugee Camp in Kenya - one of the largest camps in the world, home to more than 200,000 asylum seekers and refugees. The region has some of the harshest and unforgiving climate conditions - contending with high temperatures and dramatic flooding. The camp communities attempt to meet their needs with very few resources - with limited rations of food and water and very little power (if any) to make changes to or leave the camp.

At the beginning of 2024 I was contacted by LSBF, due to my background in Permaculture Design and the many overlaps with different aims of the project; which include setting up private kitchen gardens around each home, and building of an educational classroom/centre with demonstration plot, to teach the necessary agriculture skills to the community.

Another focus of LSBF - the one that really made my heart sing - is the holding of regular creative workshops with up to 45 children and young people from the camp - to engage their hearts, minds and bodies in activities that develop their personal resilience and wellbeing. Many of these children and young people have witnessed unfathomable violence and trauma, and now find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings, with people speaking many different languages.

During these workshops a team of faciliators dance, draw, sing, meditate, play, teach - and support and encourage each child and young person to lean into the joy and the safety that these workshops provide. Over time, the facilitators build a deepening relationship with each child, and even advocate for them in their school settings by working with teachers to help their needs be met.

I have begun taking part in some of these workshops via Zoom on a fortnightly basis, to help support their work, and share some permaculture design ideas through art and craft sessions. Due to the limited resources available in Keyna (e.g. using charcoal from fires to sketch onto paper), I am hoping to fundraise enough money to buy a heap of artistic materials to send to the facilitators, that will help support our sessions.

The facilitators also have an ambition to purchase a handful of ipads, so that children can be guided in using apps to improve their education and access to learning opportunities. Recently funds were sent so that a smart television could be purchased, so that the facilitators, children and young people, could connect with others via the web.

I wish to raise £250 for art materials, and anything in addition can be put towards the cost of ipads.