I Have a Voice Art Festival

Cartwheel partnering with Give a Hand has conducted “I have a voice Art Festival” in November in which three of our LSE students have participated. Our first donor of LSE (Life Skill Empowerment) project which started in 2014 and a friend, Mr. Daniel motivated us to prepare for this Art Festival. The journey from the discussion to participation has been a wonderful experience for all of us.

Mumbai Smiles is running LSE (Life Skill Empowerment) project for adolescent girls and boys who have lost the career path or who could not study due to some problems at their homes and dropped out of schools. For the last 2 years we have been conducting LSE sessions for our VHT (Victims of Human Trafficking) students from Wilson High School. Through this project we empower our students with basic skills to face their real life challenges such as fighting for their own rights, decision making, critical and creative thinking etc. During the year we also conduct different activities such as art therapy, music therapy sessions to improve their mental health.

In the month of November, Mr. Daniel who himself is a president and founder of mondeparlamain organization and believes in listening and encouraging youth for their better future invited us on behalf of Give a Hand and motivated us to participate in an International Art Festival conducted by the Cart Wheel Initiative (http://cartwheelinitiative.org/). The objective of this art festival was to encourage children to express their stories of Identity, Home and Communities through their artwork.

After speaking to our students and understanding their interest  towards participation our volunteer and Mandala Art therapy teacher Mrs. Aditi helped our students a lot to let them express in their own way. Pinky, Baby and Joy from our LSE groups decided to take “Identity” as their topic and each one of them had prepared some art work.

Pinky created one greeting card with some messages. She wants to become a dancer in her life. Her belief that you fail only when you stop trying keeps her motivated. She has also given a message that be yourself to be successful through her artwork.

Further in her greeting card She says that she wants to grow high like a plant and bloom like a beautiful flower so that even after conquering a peak in her life she would win hearts by her nature such fragrance of a flower creates smiles around it.

Baby had used all waste products such as paper, tissues to make a globe which represents her meaningless life before she joined LSE. The red color basket which is supporting this globe from falling down is Mumbai Smiles and its helping hands. The brightness of light is her life which is shining after being a part of Mumbai Smiles family.

Through the Mandala art design Joy has connected his life progress with the life cycle of Butterfly. He has expressed how Mumbai Smiles has supported him from the stage of cocoon. Now he doesn’t want to look back at his dull life and wants to fly like a butterfly to gather experiences and make his dream come true. He expressed his gratitude towards Mumbai Smiles for their contribution in his progress.

Cart Wheel has been collecting all the art works from all over the world and soon they will be displaying all the art works on their Instagram and Facebook page. We are eager to see the efforts of our young leader. Hope you too visit their page and appreciate the efforts of our young dreamers.