Working Murals with Yebo! Artreach in Swaziland

ArtReach is a non-profit organisation working towards the development of the arts in Swaziland, and the lack of overall arts education and creative opportunities. By providing a platform for expression and learning through creativity and the arts, ArtReach aims to particularly address the personal and social issues faced by youth and other marginalized groups in Swaziland.

I was fortunate enough to get invited along to one of the Yebo! Artreach mural projects with the hope of applying some azulejo (tiles) techniques.
We spent two days painting four walls surrounding a butchery in Lobamba, Swaziland. The butchery resembled a prison to begin with so the colour explosion we left behind was a pretty dramatic change.

Hordes of children leaving school also presented me with the opportunity to whip up an impromptu stencil workshop, with varying results but certainly enjoyment all round.
I'd like to think that this kind of intervention is given the attention it deserves when it comes to aid budgets. If only the arts, or creative expression, were seen as a priority in the "development" sector.

Yebo! are doing a fantastic job and from small acorns grow big oak trees.

Big, bright blue and pink ones...

see more of Yebo! Artreach's work on their website and Facebook page