Progression Society Art School Fund - A New Start !
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Ginette, I'm an artist who lives and works in Toronto, Canada and I'm creating this fundraiser to help my friend Rony Elistene, a young artist and community leader in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
(Above image is Rony Elistene, holding one of his newer paintings titled Papa Legba, sitting on the ruins of the school)
Within the last few years, Rony has established a small communal school where he teaches art to children in his immediate community of Port-au-Prince. Progression Society Art School is not simply a place where children learn to paint and think about art but it is also a safe place to go, to be removed from harm and reality of gang life, to spend time together in a positive way, to be fed and cared for.
(Above image is Lorsa with her beautiful painting)
Things have become especially dangerous lately in Haiti due to a surge in violence that is unprecedented. In the early days of March of this year, Progression Society Art School was burned down in the initial chaos of the siege of Haiti's capital. No one was harmed at this location but the school itself is unable to reopen here and more than half of all the children's paintings were destroyed in this fire.
This fundraiser is to help get this much needed communal space back on its feet. Rony plans to reopen further away from the city center where it is safer. It's of great importance to also raise more than a year's monthly rent to be able to also distribute funds in the equivalent of a few 'sold' paintings to each of the 40 children and their families.
There is a great crisis right now of both food and aid because ports have been closed and have exacerbated an already existing hunger crisis. Any extra amount will help this small community feed and care for themselves and their children.
(Above is a short video from mid-March when the community had to relocate for safety in a different communal space away from the violence. I found it so sweet to watch how attentive the children are to watching Rony paint. It's very touching and one can see the influence in all the children's art as well!)
There are so many dire things happening in the world currently but I feel hope when I become aware of people like Rony who strive to help create positive opportunities for children.
I hope you will help me!
Thank you
IG links:
Lastly, here is a short writeup about Rony Elistene and his artwork, dated 2021 when he was still a student himself.
Organizer
Ginette Lapalme
Organizer
Toronto, ON