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Fostering Children’s
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    ChildArt  |  Art for Health  Creativity in Uganda









                                                                         Ministry of Education and Sports.
                                                                         She told me, “This is a very good
                                                                         project. It is in line with the govern-
                                                                         ment initiative. It enriches our
                                                                         children with creative skills for

                                                                         work.” She pledged the Ministry’s
                                                                         support. The Ministry helped distri-
                                                                         bute the lesson plans to schools and
                                                                         communities in all districts of Uganda.
                                                                         More than 200 schools participated

                                                                         this year in the free-of-charge school
             Ahimbisibwe Mark Juniorr                                    art program. Each school selected
             Age 12, Uganda
                                                                         the two best art pieces on the theme,
                As the founder of Africa Peace Murals, a        “My Favorite Sport.” The works were mailed
             nonprofit for arts educators in Uganda, I have     to the regional offices of the Ministry and then
             had the opportunity to organize the Uganda         to the head office in Kampala. Everyone was
             Arts Olympiad since 2010. Over the past            amazed to see how wondrously the young art-
             decade, more than 10,000 students                  ists portrayed their favorite sports.

             have participated in the Uganda Arts                  Well-known artist-educators such as Kwesiga
             Olympiad which rewards their crea-

             tivity and gives them hope. At the 2011
             World Children’s Festival, the troupe from
             Uganda won the music award. The kids wore
             traditional Gomesi dresses made of barkcloth,
             and their cowrie shells and feathers to repre-
             sent Uganda’s indigenous cultures. When they
             performed at the festival’s “World Stage,” the

             gap between cultures dissipated.
                To organize the prestigious 6th Arts Olympiad,
             I requested a meeting with Dr. Turyagenda
                                                                                        Ayesigye Ianlee Jacob
             Kedrace at the Directorate Education Standards,                            Age 12, Uganda
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