We are Laura Laakkonen and Mari Jarva, Finnish art therapy students from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. We have come to Tanzania for a month to volunteer at Bethsaida, also known as Olof Palme Orphans Education Centre. It is the only all-girls secondary boarding school in Tanzania devoted to educating and caring for orphans. Our aim here is to offer art workshops with a therapeutic approach, giving the girls an opportunity to explore their thoughts and feelings.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
03.07.2010
Friday, 2 July 2010
When contemplating our first meetings with the groups our attention was drawn to the girls’ initial stiffness in art making. This is of course normal and universal. However, we´ve considered a few reasons that might have caused some extra tension within these particular groups and context:
· new type of activity: non-directed and based on self expression and exploration
· characteristics of the age of the girls including search for identity
· location, boarding school with strict rules and routines
· different views on art
· little or no previous art making
· unusually small groups
· sharing individual experiences verbally and visually
· equal relationship with the group leaders
· encouragement to engage and mutually communicate in the group