Help Expand our Children's Library and Art Studio

Time to Expand

We broke ground on our Children’s Library and Art Studio a little over a year ago. We started off slow, with the creation of a safe space for children to visit, explore and experience making art. The community’s children arrived in packs thrilled to have a place to come and be creative.

This past March we arrived in Kampala with 100lbs of books to fill our matatu(Ugandan taxi) and to expand our program. We watched the children of all ages flip through pages together discussing what they were looking at and many reading to each other. Kyebando is a pre-urban slum in Kampala where families struggle to find steady incomes therefore many children lack an education and are not enrolled in school. Our Children’s Library and Art Studio creates a safe space for these children while expanding their young minds to creative possibilities.

One of the challenges we are faced with now is SHADE and more usable areas for artists to create and host others. Children are piling into the van to escape the heat however this limits the number of children who can participate, and it places unexpected restrictions on creating art.

So, we want to continue with our plans for the space as we envisioned it from the start, a community space for children and community artists to share and appreciate art. We want to build a Community Art Space with shade structures, 2 artist studios, seating areas, a communal gathering space, a community kitchen and a garden. With covered areas our little artists will have the ability to find a space to read, to attend a weekend art class or come to check out art exhibitions from fellow students from the community and visiting professionals.

We are working closely with LA Based architects, Office42 and local builders to create a space that feels right for the community. A communal space to host support groups, entrepreneurial clubs, community activists and fresh artists looking for a place to showcase their talents. A place one can feel at home to create, enjoy art and feel supported

*All donations will go towards program support, building supplies and construction costs for this community space