On July 30, 2024, Under USAID’s BAB Program, SOYVDA organized an artistic session for youth in ABE centers at Imaamu Nawawi School. The session aimed to foster creativity and artistic expression among students. The session was designed for students from Level 3 to 4 and spanned four hours, from 9 AM to 1 PM. The event was facilitated by Ms. Sana Ashraf, a renowned local artist with extensive experience in art education. The session was the first of its kind and the youth were very curious about it. Around 25 students (54% were male while 46% were female) from 6 schools participated in the artistic session.
The primary objectives of the artistic session were to motivate youth in ABE centers to take meaningful action against climate change, and understand how to do basic drawings while also encouraging creative thinking and expression by building their confidence in arts.
Activities
The session consisted of several activities tailored to engage the students and stimulate their creativity. These included:
- Introduction to Art Concepts:
Ms. Sana began with a short introduction to basic art concepts, including color theory, shapes, and textures. This was aimed at providing foundational knowledge to the students.
- Hands-On Drawing:
Drawings: Students were given pencil Hb, pencil color, pencil sharper, Eraser, and pastels to create their artwork. During the tutorial, some of the students did not have done any drawing before. However, After following the facilitator’s instructions, each student drew a picture that he did not expect.
Outcomes
The artistic session was highly successful, achieving its intended objectives. Key outcomes included:
- Enhanced Creativity: Students displayed remarkable creativity in their artwork
- Skill Development: There was a noticeable improvement in students’ fine motor skills and their ability to use various art tools and materials.
- Increased Art Appreciation: Students gained a better understanding and appreciation of different art forms and techniques.
- Positive Feedback: Both students and teachers provided positive feedback, expressing interest in more frequent art sessions.
Conclusion
The artistic session for youth in ABE centers was a resounding success, providing a valuable platform for creative expression and skill development. Future sessions are planned to build on this success and further nurture the artistic talents of the students.
Recommendations
- Painting: Organize a painting session where students will use canvases, brushes, and paints to explore and create their artwork.
- Regular Sessions: Organize monthly art sessions to maintain and further develop students’ interest and skills in art.
- Diverse Art Forms: Introduce a wider variety of art forms such as digital art, sculpture, and photography.
- Art Exhibitions: Hold regular exhibitions of student artwork to encourage and motivate young artists.
