NGO Empowers Displaced Persons In FCT With Skills

A non-government organisation, Art-in-Heart Gallery Limited, has conducted creative teaching at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Kuchinguro in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Abuja.

The organisation, which seeks to promote spirituality and foster innovation and creativity, organised a significant outreach at the IDP camp to foster artistic expression and creative growth through various engaging activities. These included art and craft, tie and dye, sketching, and painting, allowing the children to tap into their imagination and creativity. In an interaction with newsmen, the team highlighted the importance of teaching at the IDP camp and pointed out that it was not just about creativity but also about spiritual healing and building confidence and self-esteem.

Speaking with newsmen, the founder and creative director of Art in Heart Gallery Limited, Ewe Evans Chinedum, noted that teaching them these skills would enable them to tap into their creative talents, make meaningful contributions within society, and grow exponentially. He further stated that art is a form of spiritual healing and growth.

“Looking at the environment they are in, it’ll be no doubt beneficial to them,’’ he said.

‘‘If you look at their buildings, most of them are designed just for survival. So, we specifically chose this IDP camp because the core value of Art in Heart is to use art as a healing tool and creativity to transform.

“We chose here because they’ve suffered societal hits due to the circumstances that displaced them.

We believe that with the creative knowledge they now have, they will be able to make a positive and beneficial impact,” he added.

The community manager, Stephanie Kwaghe, highlighted that beyond the teaching of creativity, this empowerment also serves as a prospective business programme and a source of livelihood.

‘We are trying to introduce art into the IDP experience so that when the kids come around, they get to see this aspect of creativity that isn’t just school-based.

“Art is not only for expression, it’s also a lucrative business. The tie and dye training session going on now is a hands-on example of creativity they can produce and sell,” she pointed out.

Stephanie further asserted that art is not just about creativity but also a way of life. She also stated that learning generally shouldn’t have to be firm; it can be a therapeutic outlet.

The beneficiary representative expressed his profound gratitude to Art in Heart Gallery Limited and noted that they will take advantage of the knowledge imparted to the children.