Art & Craft Lessons (Digital Download)
We teach the children different skills generating activities at the Interim Care Centre. Some of the arts and crafts include; bag making, shoe making, jewellery making, crochet, making carpets, painting, among many more. Our hope is that not only will the children enjoy learning new skills but that they will be able to find another way to make a small income when they return home to their families. The gift of arts and crafts will pay for the materials for the children....
The gift of art and crafts is perfect for any of your family or friends who are artistic and enjoy making new creations. Paint up the perfect present with the gift of art and crafts today.
We teach the children different skills generating activities at the Interim Care Centre. Some of the arts and crafts include; bag making, shoe making, jewellery making, crochet, making carpets, painting, among many more. Our hope is that not only will the children enjoy learning new skills but that they will be able to find another way to make a small income when they return home to their families. The gift of arts and crafts will pay for the materials for the children....
The gift of art and crafts is perfect for any of your family or friends who are artistic and enjoy making new creations. Paint up the perfect present with the gift of art and crafts today.
We teach the children different skills generating activities at the Interim Care Centre. Some of the arts and crafts include; bag making, shoe making, jewellery making, crochet, making carpets, painting, among many more. Our hope is that not only will the children enjoy learning new skills but that they will be able to find another way to make a small income when they return home to their families. The gift of arts and crafts will pay for the materials for the children....
The gift of art and crafts is perfect for any of your family or friends who are artistic and enjoy making new creations. Paint up the perfect present with the gift of art and crafts today.
How your gift has helped Laughter Africa children in the past year:
Osman, one of the young people whom we have worked with over the last 7 years, is becoming a famous artist in Salone. Over the last three years he has taken part in a lot of local art exhibitions.
Osman lived on the streets for 4 months in 2017 when he was 15 years old. He was maltreated by his grandmother who threw him out of the house and said that she never wanted to see him again. While staying at the Interim Care Centre in September 2017, Osman learned how to make shoes, carpets and bags and discovered a natural flair and talent for creativity. Over the last 7 years, Osman has been selling bags, shoes and paintings to raise money for himself. In July and August 2024, he was commissioned by a local school to draw different cartoon characters on the wall for the children to enjoy.
In 2018 Osman started to teach the children in the Interim Care Centre how to make bags and shoes every month. He energises the children and his shoe making sessions are one of the most popular activities at the centre. He spends hours teaching the children and has a great deal of patience. He is a real inspiration to them. Osman says, “I really enjoy teaching the children. Every time I teach them it helps me remember my past and gives me the courage to continue and not give up despite all the daily challenges I face. Art gives my life meaning. I can escape from my life in my art. When I start painting I lose myself in the work. I am an orphan and whenever I start to get sad when I think about my mum, I just start to draw and it comforts me somehow.”
Osman’s dream is to become a doctor, “I particularly want to save the lives of street children. When I lived on the streets, I saw so many street children suffering from different illnesses – HIV, STIs, malaria, stabbings. I saw girls having to give birth in the streets. In fact one of my friends died while living on the street. His name was Suliaman. He was 15 years old and died of elephantiasis on 18th August 2017. He died in agony. He was always kind to me. We would play PS (PlayStation) together after sweeping the streets. I just wish that I could have done something more to save him.” This memory drives Osman and still haunts him to this day. In 2022, he started studying at university.
On 14th December 2024, Osman will be graduating with a diploma in ‘Diagnostic Laboratory Technology’ from Milton Margai Technical University. He is the first young person we have worked with who has graduated from University so we are very proud of him. This is the first step in achieving his dream of becoming a doctor. He has just completed an internship at Kono Government hospital. He is a popular student on campus and he has just been nominated for the male student personality of the year at the ALMS-SL dinner & awards night.
Osman said, “The gift of art has really helped me grow over the last few years. I don’t know who I would have become without art in my life.”
To see an interview with Osman, please watch our Laughter Africa documentary.