harambeearts

Kenya Expressive Arts Holiday and Community Volunteering!

 

 

 KENYA EXPRESSIVE ARTS HOLIDAY 

Join Gloria Simoneaux and Sofia Casas from Harambee Arts

for the experience of a lifetime
in
KENYA

August 6-20, 2011

(gloria@harambeearts.org)

$3,500 includes…

IN LAMU:

• Roundtrip airfare from Nairobi-Lamu
• Airport transport
• 7 nights at Fatumah Towers (http://www.fatumastower.com/), breakfast and dinner included
• 5 day Expressive Arts Therapy workshop and art materials
• Sunset dhow trip with a barbeque on the beach and local drumming. A dhow is a traditional Arab sailing vessel with one or more lateen sails. They are commonly used along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, India, and East Africa. Dhow rides are the ultimate experience on a trip to Lamu and not to be missed!
• Sightseeing and shopping in the historic old town of Lamu. There are no cars on the island and donkeys and dhow are the primary mode of transport.

 

 

 

 

IN NAIROBI:

• 8 nights at the Fairview Garden Hotel (http://www.fairviewkenya.com/). Sumptuous and abundant breakfast included. The hotel has a beautiful gym, swimming pool, garden café and sushi bar.
• Airport transport
• 4 days volunteering with Harambee Arts projects in Nairobi
• One group dinner at a popular local Ethiopian restaurant
• Daily transport to projects and sights
• Sightseeing includes visits to the David Sheldrick animal orphanage

(www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org), the Giraffe Center (www.giraffecenter.org), Maasai market, traditional fabric shopping, National Museum, Kitengela glass factory (www.kitengela-glass.com), Kuona Trust Arts Centre (www.kuonatrust.org), local restaurants to try Kenyan food as well as nightlife dancing to traditional Benga music

OPTIONAL SAFARI in MAASAI MARA (August 21^st-23^rd)__Additional $1,080

$1,080 includes:

• Roundtrip airfare from Nairobi-Maasai Mara
• National park fees
• 3 days/2 nights lodging in a luxury tent on the river at Mara Intrepids Camp with all meals included (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g294209-d308159-Reviews-Mara_Intrepids_Club-Masai_Mara_National_Reserve.html)
• Daily game drives to see the Big 5- elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard. If we’re lucky we’ll also witness the annual wildebeest migration!
• Additional night at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi
• Transport to and from the airport

 

 

Expenses that are NOT included in the trip cost:

• Travel insurance (we recommend Access America: www.accessamerica.com). It’s a very simple and reasonable option.
• Lamu and Nairobi are both extremely low risk areas for malaria. Please check with your doctor for other vaccine recommendations. Yellow fever vaccine is only required if you are traveling from an infected area.
• Visas can be purchased in the Nairobi International Airport ($25) upon arrival.
• All alcoholic beverages, lunch in Lamu, lunch and dinner in Nairobi, daily yoga classes in Lamu ($6 per class/optional), pocket money for (fantastic) shopping, tips (at your discretion).
• Airfare to Nairobi (arriving on the 6^th of August)
  
  

NOTE:

Because Sofia and Gloria have lived in Kenya for several years, they have strong ties to the medical/dental community. The hospitals in Kenya are also considered regionally excellent.

James Kariuki is director of Arch Treks and Safaris. We have contracted with him to assist with the arrangements for the trip. His package includes medical evacuation for all participants in case of emergency. “Every client that books with us is covered by ARMREF- Flying doctors service. I am a corporate member and the clients are covered for 30 (thirty days) while in Kenya. This insurance deals with aerial and road evacuations only…not medical coverage.” 

 

 

 

Trauma Informed Art Therapy Course by Art Therapy Without Borders

Our friends at Art Therapy Without Borders have organized what looks to be an incredible day-long course in Trauma Informed Art Therapy. Check it out!  Trauma Informed Art Therapy

 

JOIN US FOR A DYNAMIC DAY-LONG COURSE

ON TRAUMA INFORMED ART THERAPY

Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPAT, LPCC

Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC

San Francisco Airport Hyatt Regency Hotel

April 12, 2011*, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

A one-day course on trauma intervention that will enhance your art therapy skills with children, adolescents, and adults and increase your practical knowledge of neuroscience, somatic approaches, mindfulness practice and resilience-building.

Trauma Informed Art Therapy

This one-day course will introduce you to trauma informed art therapy and how to apply practical strategies to your work with children and adults who have experienced a wide variety of traumatic events.Trauma informed art therapy integrates neuroscience and

neurodevelopment, somatic approaches, mindfulness practices, and resilience enhancement, using art making as the core approach. It is based on best evidence-based practices identified by SAMSHA and The National Institute for Trauma and Loss. This course is open to mental health and healthcare professionals and students; no previous experience with art therapy is required.

This course fulfills part of the Trauma Informed Art Therapy Certificate Program; all participants will receive a certificate of completion from the National Institute for Trauma and Loss.

About the Instructors

Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPAT, LPCC is a research psychologist, licensed art

therapist and mental health counselor. She is a Certified Trainer, National Institute for Trauma and Loss, and has given over 300 invited keynotes, workshops, courses, and lectures around the world. Cathy is the author of numerous books on art therapy and is the co-author of the forthcoming text, Trauma Informed Practice with Children and Adolescents.

Gretchen Miller, MA, ATR-BC, Board Certified Art Therapist and Certified Supervisor, National Institute for Trauma and Loss. Gretchen has worked with a variety of populations including children and adolescents traumatized by interpersonal violence and abuse.

*Day after April 9th-11th, 2011, PhotoTherapy workshop with Judy Weiser and day before the Annual Society for Arts in Healthcare Conference begins; both at Hyatt Hotel.

Fabulous and Meaningful Expressive Arts Therapy Holiday in Kenya

 

Join the Harambee Arts Staff in Kenya for a fabulous, meaningful holiday and 5-day training in Expressive Arts Therapy on the exotic Swahili island of Lamu, followed by an opportunity to volunteer in our community projects in Nairobi (at Langata Women's Prison, City Primary School's special unit for children with autism, and art for children in the slum of Kibera).

The training will take place in August 2011 for a maximum of 12 people. No previous art or therapy experience necessary...just an open heart and a love for children.

We will spend seven days on Lamu (5 day training and 2 free days to explore the extraordinary culture and beauty of the island). Learn simple art therapy techniques that have been proven successful in Africa and Asia.

The second week will be spent in Nairobi (at the luxurious Fairview Hotel) where you will have the opportunity to practice the skills that you learned. Sight seeing and shopping at the world-famous Maasai market is included.

Optional three day (2 night) safari at the Maasai Mara will conclude the experience. The migration of the wildebeest occurs during August and September...an indescribable experience.

For more information please email: gloria@harambeearts.org

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!

Sofia Casas and Gloria Simoneaux
(www.harambeearts.org)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May in Kibera

In May we had another month of expressive arts fun in Kibera!

Kibera Kid4Peace continues to paint in the alley ways of the slum. The group enthusiastically has a handful of new members from the children around the neighborhood. We welcome any child walking past to grab a brush and join in on the fun. On our last visit a few boys became so involved with the painting they even started painting each others bodies!

Prison Gratitude Mandalas & Yoga

In May, Harambee Arts returned to the prison with Margaret and Ann from Africa Yoga Project for more yoga and expressive arts.

Margaret and Ann taught two yoga classes while Sofia led the women through drawing Gratitude Mandalas. They are both fantastic yoga teachers, with an ideal balance of discipline and humour. Their classes combine yoga with music and even a little dancing while in warrior position! During the class each woman visibly experiences several emotions or feelings from frustration and pain to joy and strength. This can be seen in their expressions- bright smiles and giggles or contorted faces of discomfort! By the end of class each woman has completely worked her body and mind. When asked how they feel, afterwards they excitedly say, “We feel NICE!”

While one group practices yoga the other group works with Sofia using expressive art. This month we explored the therapeutic tool of gratitude mandalas. Mandala in Sanskrit means ‘circle’.  Drawing Mandalas is useful in helping the mind focus and meditate on one space and therefore aids in calming the mind into the present (similar to the practice of Yoga).  Gratitude Mandalas furthermore help us take account and bring awareness to the present moment and what we are grateful for in that moment. The women first listed what they were grateful for in the present and then represented it within their Mandalas through drawings and the words- ‘Thank You For This Moment’ or ‘Asante Kwa Sahi’ in Swahili.

 They listed and expressed in their mandalas such things as:

“I am happy for this time cos I am not sick.”

“I am happy for the gift of life!”

“I am grateful for the sunshine and fresh air, the food, chatting and exercise.”

“At the moment I am grateful for feeling happy and good health-wise. I love the jokes we have together, it makes us feel at home.”

“I am grateful for being able to accept the things I cannot change and for living one day at a time without any undue expectations.”

After yoga and drawing we ate a filling lunch together. We then put on music and had a little dance party!

Another inspiring, fun, laughter filled day with our sisters at Langata Prison!

Fun with Kibera Kids 4 Peace

We had a wonderful day in Kibera! The kids and the Harambee Arts staff make a great team. The kids rushed to get all the plastic and cardboard settled on the ground as we poured paint and water. They painted portraits, abstracts, landscapes and other images that inspired them. Half way through it started to rain! The rainy season has officially arrived in Kenya which means Kibera can get flooded and muddy. First we played in the rain and then all scrambled into the Masai Mbili art studio. When the sun came out we ate warm chapattis and orange juice (pronounced jwuice), followed by a delicious pink cake to celebrate Brandon’s 10^th birthday (pink is his favorite color). All in all an inspiring, uplifting and fun day in Kibera!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ODM is one of the two main political parties in Kenya.

 

 

 

Prison Expressive Yoga and Art

On March 30^th, Harambee Arts partnered with Moses, Margaret and Ann from Africa Yoga Project to bring a combination of yoga and creative expression to the women of Langata prison. The women thoroughly enjoyed themselves! Some of them were natural serious yogis, lifting into shoulder stands with complete ease, while some giggled and collapsed. It was a lot of fun. Since the group is now 60 women strong, half the women took a yoga class while the others painted and drew. After an hour the groups switched, followed by a delicious, filling lunch. One of the prisoners on remand shared that “Here [the support group] you can’t get stressed. Here we are dancing, painting, drawing, and doing yoga. We are happy and energized, even after we leave.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More City Primary Photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Work at City Primary Continues Strong

Every Wednesday and Thursday Harambee Arts continues to paint with the children of City Primary.  There are five new boys in the special units. On their first painting day in January they were timid and shy about letting go and enjoying the paint, yet by the second session they were smiling as they painted, proudly holding up each painting to be acknowledged by every teacher.

  

 

Prisoner Self-Portraits

On March 2^nd, the women of Langata Prison painted their self-portraits. We went through three meditations and visualizations where each woman explored three things she loves about herself. After the meditations, the women painted self-portraits to portray these three visualised qualities, features etc. Both the process and results were powerful!

 



 

 

Kibera Kids 4 Peace

On January 23rd we met with Kibera Kids 4 Peace and painted in the alley outside of the Masai Mbili art studio. The kids were excited to paint and draw again after the Christmas break. We had a lot of fun together!

 

 

Harambee Arts Starts Painting with the Older Children at City Primary’s “Special Unit”

Several months ago Harambee Arts started to offer a second weekly painting group to a group of older children at the City Primary School. The children are more severely autistic than our on-going younger group. Their head teacher reports that he has already seen dramatic changes in the children. Their styles develop and their special personalities emerge. Mihrein, the most outspoken of the group, usually paints one color at a time. He doesn’t like to get dirty and barks orders or makes comments about the others, as he smiles and paints his one-color paintings. “Sit down, finish that painting. Why do you refuse to paint?” And then he looks at us sweetly and says, “I don’t know why he refuses to paint?” Nduati, another boy, jumps around, hums and paints really fast. He jumps up and down between each painting and communicates with each of us in special ways…a touch on the shoulder, an extended hand, running to fetch one of our water bottles and opening the bottle before handing it to us. He can paint 50 paintings in one session and he knows that his water will be changed when it gets dirty and that there will always be enough colors for him. He is a joy…they all are. It’s an honor to now be painting with this additional group on a regular basis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

City Primary School Welcomes New Children in the “Special Unit”

Nadir was dropped off by his mother two weeks ago. He didn’t speak. His mom warned us that, “He can’t hold anything by himself. He just sits by himself. He can’t do anything.” Within twenty minutes, Nadir was holding the brush and the palette,  painting and grinning.

Harambee Arts Staff Expands

Harambee Arts has recently welcomed two new permanent staff members. Lillian Onbonyo, co-trainer for the most recent training for counselors at the Kenya Association of Professional Counselors, is a nurse who is also trained in play and expressive arts therapy. Margaret Wambugu is a twenty-one year old woman who loves children. She brings a grounded and soothing quality to our program. We are also so fortunate to have an inspiring new group of volunteers including fourteen-year old Kimotho who brings joy and his lovely young spirit to the team.

Lillian


Margaret
 

Kimotho


Erick, Sofia, Margaret and Gloria at RaMoMA

Harambee Arts trains counselors in Expressive Arts Therapy at The Kenya Association of Professional Counselors

In October, Kenya Association of Professional Counselors and the Fulbright Foundation sponsored the first two-week session of our second intensive certificate course in Expressive Arts Therapy. Ten counselors are attending the 150 hour course which will resume in mid-November.

 

 

 

 

Langata Women’s Prison HIV+ Support Group Update

The Harambee Arts group continues to grow. Last week there were more than 50 women dancing and painting their stories. One of them said, “I have a sense of belonging in this group. Someone cares about us.”

 

 

Sofia Casas from Harambee Arts is Interviewed in Kibera

Kibera Kids4Peace Installation

Children from Kibera paint pieces of tin and wood that will be assembled into an installation piece so that they can bring a piece of their life in the Kibera slum to the larger community.

Introducing Erick Hasengimana

Erick Hasengimana is a third year Fine Art major at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. He joined the Harambee Arts team in April 2009, after inspiring Gloria to tears at a university event. He is incredibly natural with children and adds a calm, loving and encouraging presence to Harambee's work in City Primary School. All of the children of the Special Unit immediately opened up to him in an unprecedented way and it is a true inspiration to see him work and connect with the children!

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Eldoret Expressive Art and Play Therapy Workshop

On June 1st and 2nd, Gloria travelled to Eldoret (Northern Kenya) to facilitate a 2-day workshop in 'Expressive Art and Play Therapy for Children' at the Kenya Association of Professional Counselors (KAPC) Eldoret branch.

Langata Women's Prison Body Map Exhibition

Langata Women's Prison Body Map Exhibition, 'Transcending Bars', at Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art in Nairobi