I Indeed was the "Unreachable" in the Group

Sometimes beautiful things come into our lives out of nowhere.  We can’t always understand them, but we have to trust in them.  I know you want to question everything, but sometimes it pays to just have a little faith.”  ―Lauren Kate

I Indeed was the "Unreachable" in the Group
by Paula Peters

I knew that today would have been special. After all, I was in Nairobi with an exceptional group of international educators to support Necessary Arts- Reach the Unreachable -Humanitarian Arts program. Our mission was clear: we were to promote development through creative expression while helping participants develop strong leadership and critical thinking skills. I had read the materials shared, asked some clarifying questions of Naima, Suzzi and Allyson, veterans of the program, and prepared what I thought would be the materials needed to guide my group of 14 to 18 year olds through a three hour sessions of creating monologues of a pivotal moment in their lives. As any seasoned teacher, I started the session with a quick inclusion activity, followed by a short visualizing exercise. I modeled a pivotal moment in my life by speaking of  the recent rains in Chennai and the loss of some of my furniture and my car. I expressed emotions of  frustration and anger since would have to search for another place to live. Satisfied that the groundwork has been set, the children we sent off to pen their own pivotal moments.

I have just completed reading the fifteen monologues written and now humbly admit that it was I who had been the ‘unreachable’ in the group. The monologues varied from student to student. Some were stories of family tragedies, some of loss opportunities because of financial restraint and one was a journey of personal discovery. Most importantly, unlike my example, each story went beyond despair to hope and new possibilities born of out of struggle. Each child’s story sent a strong and clear message that when faced with adversity,each of us has a choice to make,either to buckle under the pressure or to develop a strength and compassion that will not be defeated.

Now I know that in order to support the mission of NA-Reach the Unreachable-Humanitarian Arts program, these students voices must be shared with other who are unreachable by choice. Those who are unreachable because they have replace a sense of service and gratitude with a sense of entitlement and expectation. Those who are unreachable because they do not believe in their capacity to succeed through perseverance.Those who are unreachable because they do not believe the answers are out there waiting and that life will surprise you again and again.

Now I know that these stories must be shared .

Youth Inspiring Youth

by Jannick Peters

I am so privileged. I receive a world class education. I am able to travel all around the world. I have the privilege to aspire to study music in university anywhere in the world, to do whatever I chose with my future. What a stark contrast that is to the kids I met in the orphanage today, who have been dealt an objectively awful hand. Most of them are my age or younger, and both of their parents have passed away. They have suffered so much, yet they greeted us with such warm smiles and a strong desire to learn. It was a truly humbling experience, because at the end of the day, what is the real difference between us?

When I spoke to some of the kids, they vocalized and articulated their thoughts, ideas, and hopes in an incredibly clear and powerful manner. They told me that they are thankful that they get to go to school, and for the kindness of Mariam, who they call Mum. Mariam must be doing a great job, because all of the kids look really healthy and they approach the world with a confidence and love for others that is really admirable. I can’t help be feel saddened that even though they did nothing to deserve it, these kids have limited options. I also feel like if they had the opportunities I did, they would be highly successful. 

It was a remarkable experience to be around the kids, and I cannot wait to go again. I hope I can find more ways besides simply donating to help contribute to  the welfare of the kids.

5,4,3,2,1 ACTION!

“Looking into your eyes, I can see life, from my eyes to yours I can feel it.” 

By: Le’Jon A. Payne

What an amazing day, what an amazing journey. Working with the kids at JEHO was an experience I will always remember. From the moment we walked in we were greeted with love, warm embraces and big smiles. What was most interesting to me, is that I am a stranger, in a strange place, surrounded by children I don’t know. Who are very welcoming in a calm and mature manner. These children had never seen me before, they didn't even know my name, but to them, my purpose, the Necessary Arts visit was a meaningful opportunity, that was well worth the wait.

As the students lined up chairs and sat closely to one another, they waited patiently for the leaders of NA to tell them the next steps. We worked together as a whole group introducing ourselves as facilitators and then the students asked could they introduce themselves. This was a significant moment for them. It was very important, that every child had a name that went with their beautiful face and radiant spirit. It was important that they got the opportunity to introduce themselves to say their name, who they were, something special about themselves. It was important that each child from 2 years of to 17 years old, had a place. This environment, was definitely an environment of love, where no one was forgotten and from the youngest to the oldest, each person had value. I felt at home immediately, and definitely welcomed. It was now my turn to impart the feelings that theses wonderful and warm spirits had imparted to me, back to them. The concept of sowing and reaping. It was my turn to sow seeds that would empower these 40 young people through the arts to express themselves and allow their minds to be stimulated for mature growth, but most of all develop a confidence to believe and achieve whatever their pure hearts desired.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ACTION! As we transitioned into our acting class, I was amazed at the amount of confidence that the young performers had. Their confidence was radiant and each participants brought LIFE to each session. We began with a warm up, ZIP, ZAP, ZOP! The kids loved this warm up and within minutes took over the game and began to lead as experts. We then worked together in a small group to discuss emotions and how we can demonstrate our emotions without words. I performed a few scenarios for participants and they guessed what emotion my character was portraying. Again, the students were eager, they were soon leading and demonstrating their own scenarios.We soon began working on scripts. At first the participants were timid and weren't confident in reading the script aloud. So I decided to take it slow and read each line, act it out, and then allow each group to follow my lead. Soon after the participants were leading the group and didn't need my help. By the end of the session they had memorized the script and were ready to present in front an audience.

What is amazing about these kids is not who they are or the circumstances that they are experiencing, but what is inside of them. I love the fact that they had so much life inside of them and they were not afraid to give this life, this bright light inside of them to others. Necessary Arts provided a platform, that they loved, for them to be able to express themselves, to communicate, to say their name, to have another place in the world, where they had value and meaning, through artistic expression.

Reaching the unreachable. We would never be able to reach these kids within the confines of our own community. The gift of being able to travel to meet them where they are is priceless. A lot times, humble servants come to be a gift to others, but it is always the most amazing experience, when you have actually received a gift. These bright eyed, pleasant, beautiful faces, gave the gift of life from their eyes to mine, in JEHO. I do believe today we were able to reach our goals and we were rewarded for it, by watching their confidence run across the stage as they presented the life inside of them to others.

Life has not Altered My Dreams...The Mission Continues...

When I started Necessary Arts in Harlem, NY some twenty odd years ago and realized the power of the program, my dream was to take the work to Trinidad and Tobago, my home of origin. Once that dream was realized in 2002, I started dreaming of bringing the work to Africa, my Motherland. Almost two years ago that dream manifested in Kenya with me stepping on a plane on my own and uncertain of where I would end up and how I would be able continue the magic. With the help of several people Necessary Arts has stimulated minds through artistic expression from New York, USA, to Port of Spain, Trinidad and now to Nairobi, Kenya. The amazing support team started in Harlem with Vanessa Taylor and Maria Butler supporting every venture undertaken. Later in 2002, Lydia Ledgerwood and Penelope Spencer would take on the role of Directors as we formally registered the company as an NGO in Trinidad and Tobago. With the headquarters remaining in Trinidad the work has stretched its wings via Dubai, UAE to Kenya with consistent support from Allyson Holder, Suzzanne Pautler and Theresa Torien. I take the time to mention these compassionate women because nothing great is ever accomplished in a vacuum. What started off as a dream in my heart has now become a platform for others to realize their own dreams of reaching the youth of select communities to provide them with a venue of expression.

Life has not Altered My Dreams

by Naima Thompson

In July 2015 I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. I was shattered when my doctor nailed the harsh reality into my soul that I would not be able to travel to Kenya to continue the Reach the Unreachable program for the August visit. All the plans were in place and I could not imagine how I would disappoint all the children who were expecting the program to carry on. For the first time since I started Necessary Arts all the way back in the 90's it hit me that the company was actually an entity on its own. With Penelope Spencer continuing the leadership in Trinidad and now the program having to stand on its own in Kenya, I realized the blessing before me. I had clearly unfolded a dream that inspired others to believe in and to take up action for. The children of Kenya were not to be disappointed because Suzzanne Pautler and Allyson Holder held the torch with much vigor and a team of three daring teacher volunteers to carry on the mission. The August 2015 program included five site visits which resulted in an impressionable impact on not only the students but also the teacher volunteers. Their experiences have been shared in previous posts published on this blog, and continue to echo my sentiments of a dream unfolded for others to realize their own ambitions.

Today I sit in my humble flat in Dubai with thoughts of disappointment and gratitude. Disappointment , because yet again life  denies me the chance to actively participate in the Reach the Unreachable program in Nairobi as I stay behind to continue my chemo therapy treatments toward wellness. Gratitude, because yet again there is a team of new volunteers led by Suzzane Pautler and Allyson Holder to manifest the mission. This time Paula Peters (and son Jannick), originally from Trinidad and currently teaching in India and LeJon Payne originally from the USA and currently teaching in the UAE, have volunteered to share their expertise with our students in Nairobi.

It is clear to me that although life has altered my circumstances, it has not altered my dream to provide a vehicle of expression for the youth in our Reach the Unreachable program in Africa. Therein lies an invaluable lesson for me, one for which I will always be humbled and forever appreciative.

Please continue to read the posts from the team in Nairobi as they take time to share their experiences of stimulating minds through artistic expression over the next few days.
Thanks for your time.

Naima Thompson
Founder/Director

Sustainability works with Teaching Teachers

Teaching Teachers

by Suzzanne Pautler

Necessary Arts realizes that we cannot fly in to Nairobi, teach for a few days, and then leave, if we want the Reach the Unreachable Program to become sustainable.  The question has been bouncing around our heads for some time about how to create that sustainability during our absence.  AMREF shared a great deal with us about how they have organized educational programs around the country, even reaching some fairly remote villages.  They have found that the mobile phone is the tool to achieve success.  Additionally, AMREF introduced us to the Dagoretti Project, a school that reaches out to street kids to help them move through various stages towards rehabilitation.  The school does focus on traditional academics, but is more invested in the visual and performing arts, as the students respond so well to this non-traditional academic environment. The teachers there are eager to exchange information with other teachers, and therefore invited us to lead a teacher training program on site.  

Today was Necessary Arts first attempt to do professional development here in Kenya.  Four teachers and eight student teachers met with us for discussion and collaboration.  We began the workshop with the visualization of a classroom that is so effective that each student learner is being challenged.  From there, we asked the teachers to list with a partner nine teaching strategies that were used in that classroom to make that lesson so effective.  The dialogue immediately switched to Swahili and they were off!  The teachers were so passionate about their responses that when we asked two groups to merge and choose their combined top five strategies, some fairly heated discussions took place.  The conversations took much longer than I anticipated, but since the teachers were so engaged, I did not want to interrupt.  Eventually we shared with them an article from an educational researcher's perspective about the five most effective classroom strategies, which moved our conversation forward in comparison and contrast.  

The most important strategy, according to the article, is that the teacher articulates a clear plan and objective for the lesson.  We introduced the teachers to the Understanding by Design protocol, focusing mostly on stage one, where the teacher must define the enduring understandings and essential questions.  We shared some examples specific to the visual and performing arts to clarify our point.  Teachers seemed to grasp that the "big ideas" are important when organizing a lesson.  At this point, we decided to go outside to the garden to work with the children. Each of the twelve teachers would work with four students.  We gave each group one of our red cards featuring words such as freedom, global citizenship, and equality.  After some discussion with the students, the teachers led them through a drama exercise in using one's face and one's body to express the word.  The group created a tableau, or a statue, to define the word.  The students and teachers were engaged in the activity and put great thought and effort into their work.

The teachers returned to our workspace to continue the dialogue about what enduring understanding and essential questions could be written to support such a learning activity. "Does justice exist?" was the first big question that arose.  Once again, the teachers engaged in thoughtful dialogue about the concept at hand, which eventually transitioned into feedback about the workshop.  Ultimately, they can hardly wait for us to return to continue the conversations!  One gentleman explained that the teaching staff is like a machine.  They work together and make progress.  Necessary Arts is the oil that comes in to keep them working their best.  I thought it was a beautiful analogy to express the exact sentiment we tried to share with them.

The teaching staff at this school are doing an amazing job. We have witnessed the success during each visit.  However, sharing professional conversations and encouraging one another by pushing our thinking can only result in a positive outcome.  The teachers are eager for us to share more learning activities.  When I shared that our drama and theatre arts expert would lead our next workshop, the music teacher raised his hand and responded, "Please don't forget about the music department!" We were so impressed by the seriousness to which they approached this professional development opportunity, that we will not forget the teachers at Dagoretti.  They, along with all the students we have worked with during this visit to Kenya, are tucked into a special little pocket in our hearts.

Exceeding Expectations with Kajiado Girls

Our Girls!

by Suzzanne Pautler

Driving out of Nairobi, toward the cattle grazing in the grassy plains, one instantly takes a deep breath and begins to relax.  However, that peaceful, serene feeling disappeared during our last visit to the Educational and Rehabilitation Center, as we walked into the activity hall and were surrounded by more than 100 students, all hoping to participate in the workshop.  Although chaotic, our previous visit truly was just as exhilarating as it was exhausting.  Today was a different story. The sun had not yet come up and a chill hung in the air.  The majority of students were away, spending the school holiday with their families. However, 12 girls remained.  They were ready to work, and so was the Necessary Arts team!  

The Maasai girls love to perform in the theatre arts and eagerly participated in our games and activities.  We shared with each girl a script about a fisherman along with a brightly colored highlighter.  Suddenly, younger children entered the activity hall, each eagerly wanting paper and a highlighter, too.  The bottom line is that we must replenish our stock of highlighters prior to our next visit!  The girls highlighted their lines in the script and began to practice reading them aloud.  The word "enchanted" proved difficult to pronounce, and the word "tenacity" had no meaning to them.  I explained that we shared new words with them in order to improve their language and literacy.  "Oh, teacher..." is all I got in response, though I imagine a little roll of the eyes, too.  

After we did a group choral reading of the script, each girl nodded in agreement that the story had a good message.  We should not be greedy or needy.  We should be happy with what we have. I was impressed by their reading, listening, and comprehension skills.  

A short snack time ensued and then we moved into an art activity.  The girls needed to draw a character sketch including physical details, clothing, or personal attributes learned through the script.  Our little friends couldn't stand the fact that they didn't have paper or crayons, and so they joined in by drawing the fish for us.  Before we knew it our two and a half hours were up!  Unfortunately, we did not have time for any follow-up or reflection, nor did the girls have a chance to practice personal scripts they had written during our last visit.  Next time we will have to schedule a longer visit with our girls!

Warm hands and more...
by Amanda Milkeraitis

I didn’t really know what to expect today as the Necessary Arts team set off for Kajiado, as day 1 and day 2 were such different experiences. After an early morning start and hopping onto the bus before daylight we set of for our 90 minute drive to reach the young ladies who were waiting for us. Yet again we were welcomed with smiles and handshakes. Lucky my hands are always warm so I could warm up their cold little fingers as it was a chilly morning. It was lovely to also be hugged by girls who I’d never met before, but they are veterans of the Necessary Arts program and knew they’d be met with love and acceptance from our team. Even more than the last two days, these young ladies wanted to approach us individually and introduce themselves and ask our names. Not just shake our hand with a hello and move on.

We worked on a physical warm-up activity to get all of us warmed up and then moved into some individual and team actions and objects. There were a lot of laughs and it served as a great ice-breaker for us who are new to the team.

There were certainly some stand-out performers right from the get-go who were ready to volunteer and perform for us and their peers with confidence and no fear of judgement.  For me this highlights the importance of the Arts in terms of helping all students find a voice and a presence that can serve them in school and in life.

We talked them through a short play and assigned roles. Students were paired up to practice their lines together before our read through. Whilst there were some words that were new and difficult for them, there was no hesitation from the girls in trying to pronounce them – and they all understood the story of the Fisherman and the Princess Fish, with the moral of the story being that happiness outweighs material wealth.

A break for a snack then turned into a Swahili lesson for me. I’ve now got a page of words and phrases that the ladies were so keen to teach me. I loved being the student and them teaching me, and they also were keen to demonstrate their own language skills.

Our time ended way too early with this group of talented teens. We had just made a start on them using their imaginations to make illustrations of their characters when it was time to leave. Many questions of when we’ll be back showed just how much they value the Necessary Arts team – the activities, the learning experience and the care that is show to them is obviously something they continue to look forward to.

NAS returns to JEHO

Big Hearts, Big Love

by Suzzanne Pautler

Pastor Joseph greeted us with open arms this morning as he brought us into the Pipeline community.  Nearly 40 children joined us in today's four hour workshop. The Necessary Arts team was immediately welcomed as sisters into the Jeho family.  A number of prayers of thanksgiving were verbalized, expressing gratitude that Necessary Arts has returned to the orphanage for the fourth time.

Each time we visit the site, we are overwhelmed by the love and positive energy that exists within each child.  They know that they are in a safe environment and therefore have the initiative to take risks.  They require very little in terms of teacher direction as they eagerly respond to each task we set forth. Today our six groups worked with the words:  strength, peace, community, responsibility, courage, and love.  Our groups began by using only their faces to express these attributes, and then they used their group's bodies as one to form a tableau to demonstrate the concept.  

The groups had two further tasks assigned to them.  One was to create a song/dance/chant that expressed the word, and the other was to create and perform a skit to share a story about the meaning of the word.  Inevitably, their religion featured in each presentation.  For example, 3 boys were smoking and acting up. 3 girls approached them with a Bible in hand to try to convince them to change their ways. Finally, one boy did.  And then he had the courage to go back to his two friends to convince them, too, that their ways were the wrong ways.

Necessary Arts included artwork in the workshop today.  Each group was also tasked with the challenge to draw a picture of what their word means.  They worked diligently and took pride in their creativity. Each group had to give a speech about the meaning of the artwork, and the audience was asked to share compliments in return. The children could hardly stop complimenting one another.  Such respect and support exists.  

The final part of our day asked the groups to reflect in a written format about their words and what the words look like in their lives.  The Love group suggested that they see love on the football field while carrying out first aid or cheering the players.  The Strength group described physical strength in their work throughout the day, but referred to strength in their hearts in their written reflection.  "If you have strength in your heart, you will be determined to achieve anything you want."  The Peace group wrote that we cannot live without peace because without peace, there will be no progress in a nation. They went on to write about the current situation in Somalia including the lack of peace and progress.  The Community group suggested that "community means people coming together in unity", which in their list of examples, included helping the vulnerable children.  The Responsibility group knows they must take great care towards others.  They mentioned the importance of taking care of young ones, which I presume is their daily reality, as 40 children live together in this humble 3-bedroom home.  Finally, the Courage team reminded us that courage can give us victory over anything!  

The childrens' messages are simple, but strong.  And most importantly, one of the oldest boys, stood up to remind the children that they cannot just play games and activities with these words.  They must reflect upon the concept and commit to applying it to their lives.  There is no point for Necessary Arts to return if they do not process what we are teaching them, nor if they ignore the word in their daily lives.  The children received the message.  And Pastor Joseph requested that next time we come, please come for a full two-day workshop!

The House of Love

by Teresa Cantu

Our van bounded down dusty roads filled with people, livestock, trucks, and shopkeepers on a busy Saturday morning in Pipeline, Nairobi.  After dodging numerous potholes and squeezing through tight passages never meant for two lanes of traffic, our van came to an abrupt stop.  It was announced that we had arrived at our destination and I found myself craning my neck in all directions looking for the building that could possibly be ours.

As I walked through the metal doors I at once left the chaotic streets full of honking cars and shouting vendors and entered a space that brings a feeling of peace.  The children of JEHO sat waiting anxiously for our arrival, and Director Joseph greeted us all warmly.  He led us in prayer and spoke kinder words to my colleagues and I than I think I could have ever have been prepared for.

JEHO is a small facility that not only provides food, shelter, and safety for orphans, but also is actively involved in raising the children to be warm, kind, respectful, and confident members of society.  The Christian centered style of education and rearing is evident from the get go as passages from the Bible are written on the humble cement walls.  Children can be heard singing Christian songs throughout our visit.  The idea of love and kindness are not new topics, and while these children have little they are more than willing to put others before themselves.

As Joseph leads the opening prayer, he does not ask the Lord to provide supplies for his children, or money for his school – but rather he focuses on the Necessary Arts team.  He thanks the Lord for bringing us to JEHO.  He prays for our health and wellbeing while in Kenya.  He prays for all of our family and friends. Joseph never once asks for anything in return, which can be rare when people are at times in dire circumstances.  I am beyond touched.

As we move through our activities it is clear that this experience is not like being in any other school or workshop.  It is almost as if we are in someone’s home, and all of these children are brothers and sisters playing with one another.  All in all this family would be made up of about 40 individuals, and they participated in warm up activities, performances that including singing, dancing, acting, and speaking, and an art activity that involved creating a group drawing.  This workshop was twice as long as previous workshops and for good reason!  The enthusiasm and the desire for everyone to be involved and have a chance to shine was clear, and before we knew it our time had flown by and it was time to go home.

Our day once again ended in a community meeting of sorts.  Joseph asked students, individually and directly, reflection questions about the day.  He expected answers on the spot.  As students were called on, they rose to their feet and began to articulate eloquent answers on demand.  This awareness, thoughtfulness, and maturity was shocking to me – in the best of ways of course.  Through my work with Necessary Arts I have learned it is far too easy to assume that students with certain backgrounds and predicaments might not have the confidence to think through their expressions.  However, I have seen time and time again that when given the chance everyone has a voice worth hearing.  More often than not they want to be heard – they are just waiting for someone to care enough to inquire and lend an ear.

Joseph called the Necessary Arts team to the front of the room and two students approached us to vocalize their thankfulness on behalf of the entire group.  We once again bowed our heads in prayer and thanked the Lord for the blessings the day brought. We nourished our minds, bodies, and souls together.  I learned an incredible amount from the JEHO family and the word that stands out to me the most is love.  It almost seemed a tangible force in the room.  Joseph reminded us all that if you want something in life you must be willing to give something in life.  If you want to be loved you must be willing to give love.  I most certainly felt the love from the JEHO community and I in turn truly loved my experience with them today.  I hope to return with Necessary Arts and see how we can nurture our relationship and develop in love together.

Eager for Creative Action

by Amanda Milkeraitis

As the Necessary Arts team set off for our second day, heading for JEHO, I could only base my expectations on yesterday’s experience. Today was very different!   We were greeted by beautiful, warm, engaging, loving children ready to welcome us to their home and family. Joseph, the pastor and “man-in-charge” made a speech that moved me almost to tears. He talked about how some children just need a “place to stand, and someone to hold their hand”. Having many children already greet me with an open hand, open smile and open heart, it was clear that we were there to hold their hands and give them a Necessary Arts experience to enrich their day. It became so clear to me that they were there to actually enrich OUR day, within moments of our program beginning. Necessary Arts transformed into Necessary Hearts.

In terms of stimulating these children with artistic and performing ideas it was definitely a two-way street, as they taught us a new song, “Balance the Ball”.  Because Necessary Arts has a history of visiting JEHO, and their own enthusiastic attitudes, it was obvious that these children were ready and willing for some creative action!  Every activity we asked them to participate in was met with happy faces and strong and healthy ideas from them.

One young lady that touched me in particular, when she quietly mentioned to me that they all LOVED acting and couldn’t wait to create their own shows for us. Her earnest and very real approach to me demonstrated her real appreciation for the Arts and how important it is in her life. This was further backed up when the girls happily told me that the boys were obsessed with football, while the girls loved to sing and dance in their spare time. (Arts so very, very necessary to those lovely young ladies). The boys in our group were also dedicated to stepping up to the task of drawing, writing, presenting and acting today – even if some included some football!

My overwhelming feeling to take away from today was that of family, love and community. These children belong to a family that is comforting, enveloping, accepting, caring and loving – and they made sure to make us feel that we were part of that family. A privilege and honour to be part of this day. I really could’ve stayed for another 4 hours!

Arts for Love

by Melinda Everstyn

Arriving at the JEHO orphanage was a very different experience from the previous day. We drove through the busy, lively streets as the locals were getting on with their weekend activities. The orphanage smack bang in the middle of the township in a 2-story building. The children came from their upstairs sleeping quarters, to greet us in the large room they use as a church, learning space and play area. But from the moment I was greeted from these children I did not see them as orphans, this was one very big family!

We started with a range of warm up activities the children then started a dance/vocal/movement activity called ‘balance the ball’. I was so impressed by their enthusiasm and confidence. We then moved into the main activity, however we made 2 changes from the previous day to suit the needs of these children. Firstly I introduced an art activity. After the students had completed their human statues I gave each group a large piece of paper and drawing materials. They then were challenged to complete an illustration of their groups’ word. I was interested to see if they would use the same clichés I have seen time and time again as a teacher, and I was pleased to report this was not always the case. I was also interested in the same clichés would apply being in a different culture, being in Africa as opposed to the Middle East and Australia where I have taught. I was not surprised to see ‘love’ group started with a heart, however as their ideas developed they made more additions. Most groups incorporated text and their penmanship was both very neat and creative. After the groups finished they presented their art and spoke about it to the audience who then provided feedback. I was not sure how this would go so was very happy when they kept raising their hands with a lot to contribute!
We then continued with the theatre performance however another activity was included, with the students asked to create a musical piece about their words. Some groups incorporated a lot of movement and others was just voice/song. I got goose bumps with their fast thinking, harmonious and moving songs they sung. Their singing was just beautiful.This school has a lot of love for each other, and for the performing arts. Their passion for dance, drama, music and art was very evident. Therefore the ongoing visits from Necessary Arts is very valuable. The orphanage really shows that you don’t need a lot of possessions to be rich, and I hope the facilities can get funding to develop and allow the children more opportunities to grow, as there are so many talented children in this group….start of thefuturI am sure.

UNHCR leads NAS to Sud Academy

Ger Duany kept his word! 
by Naima Thompson

The Good Lie

I met Ger Duany, an actor and model, at a friend's apartment in Harlem last July. After learning about NAS and our outreach project "Reach the Unreachable", he promised to do what he can to bring NAS together with Sudanese refugee children in Kenya. Being a "Lost Boy" from Sudan and experiencing the status of refugee himself, Ger understands the power of humanitarian efforts as well as the usefulness of the arts in the quest for personal healing and development. One year later,  now an ambassador for the UNHCR, Ger Duany holds true to his word. The Necessary Arts Outreach team is working with a dynamic group of refugee children from the Sud Academy. Many thanks to the Kenyan UNHCR team for making this partnership possible. Please view The Good Lie if you want to understand more about the lost boys (and girls) of Sudan.
Some of our team members who had the experience of working with the children express their thoughts in the narratives below.

Playing helps us grow Healthy and Strong

by Suzzanne Pautler

The words "human rights" intrigue me.  I wonder if it is because I grew up in an environment where I took them for granted? Through my life experiences of living and traveling internationally, my appreciation for all that I have, including my human rights, has grown exponentially. Having witnessed the absence of human rights in countries around the world, I appreciate the many NGOs who are fighting to support those whose rights have been taken away or perhaps have never existed.

The Necessary Arts team began our morning at the offices of the UNHCR-Kenya, whose sidewalks were filled with Sudanese refugees who had slept in the queue overnight to seek help early this morning with employment or medical care. We were introduced to a variety of staff members who are working to secure everything from shelters to educational opportunities for those in need.

The current UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador for Sudan is Ger Duany. I know of Ger from his role in the film "The Good Lie", where he portrayed one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, based upon his personal experience.  In his role as Goodwill Ambassador, Ger visited Sud Academy on his previous visit to Kenya and fell in love with the humble school.  Naima met Ger in NYC where they discussed what a great match the objectives of Necessary Arts would be with the students of Sud Academy. The Principal, George, is a former Lost Boy of Sudan who was forced to become an adult at the age of 14 by taking care of all the younger children who were walking with him.  I love that he is still working in this capacity today.  The school educates 235 Sudanese refugees.  The love and pride he shows towards his students is immeasurable.  

As the Necessary Arts team moved through the theatre arts workshop, one group chose to analyze the word "rights". What does "rights" mean? How could the group members form an image with their bodies to demonstrate "rights"? What kind of story could they act out to tell the audience about "rights"?  Rights are such a powerful concept.  Would this group be able to work through the activities and do it justice?

By the end of the workshop, the group had identified six rights as being most important to their lives as young men:

• The right to an education
• The right to health care
• The right to security
• The right to move
• The right to play
• The right to a family

I do not know the background stories of each student to understand how they arrived to be educated at Sud Academy, though I am confident their journeys have been difficult. Despite the obstacles and challenges they have faced as young boys, I love the fact that the right to play appears on their list. "Playing helps us grow healthy and strong."  Every child deserves the right to play no matter the conflict or strife he faces each day.

Although the students are on their school holiday right now, Necessary Arts truly appreciates the 23 students, ranging from ages 8-19, who had the interest and took the time to walk to school this morning to engage in our workshop.  Additionally, 3 teachers and 5 UNHCR members joined us to better understand what Necessary Arts can offer these students.  One representative shared that "she had never seen anything like this" and that she could not believe how quickly the students opened up and responded to us.  Hopefully today was the first step towards a lasting friendship with Sud Academy, where I am confident Necessary Arts was able to "reach the unreachable".

Day One of my Necessary Arts Experience

by Amanda Milkeraitis

My first day visit today with Necessary Arts was to the Sud Academy, and we were met by the staff and inquisitive students as we entered.  The boys seemed tall and the girls were shy!

After some warm-up games filled with curious faces, much clapping and giggling we set the students tasks of working in groups to make various objects – and they seemed very proud of their abilities to make trees, bicycles and chairs. (All very eager to keep hold of their positions until their pictures had been taken).

In mixed groups then the students were assigned the task of improvising a skit based on a word – the words they chose were “peace”, “community”, “strength” and “rights”. With some encouragement the creative process got underway and the natural leaders came to the forefront. I was impressed by the ideas and collaboration that these students demonstrated for us. I think the performing for them, in front of their peers, was challenging for them, but they embraced it and made last minute adjustments to perfect their acts. This was great to see – they had a little pre-performance anxiety, which is quite apt for all actors!

However, the highlight of the day for me was the last activity of the day. We asked all groups to write down what their word meant to them. Most groups had one enthusiastic scribe and the thoughts and ideas were fast and flowing.  I was absolutely flawed by not only their super English writing skills, but their very mature and insightful responses. “Maybe you can be physically strong, but be weak inside”, “if you are strong inside, no word would hurt you or make you disappointed”, “Right to play – helps us grow healthy and strong”, “Community is a group of people to share the mind or ideas together”.

From the beginning of our time with these young people, with shy smiles and quiet voices, it was so very impressive to see spokespersons then get up on the stage and deliver their group’s work with confidence, projection and clarity. The work of Necessary Arts seeks to give each participant the confidence to know that every voice is important.  Knowing what some of these students have been through, these sorts of activities are just what they need to express some of their emotions they have locked inside.  It was a pleasure to see leaders arise within this school community. A joy to watch, and a joy to be a part of! And they were all genuinely sorry to see us leave, which, of course added to the joy I felt about Day One for me – bring on the next few days Necessary Arts!

Student Leaders among the Refugees
by Melinda Everstyen

It was an honor and a pleasure to work with the students of the Sud Academy on my first day working with the Necessary Arts team in Nairobi. After the initial warm-up activities, the students grew in self-confidence and began to initiate ideas in creative and surprising ways. When each group collaboratively interpreted its selected word (strength, community, human rights and peace), all students brought in experiences from their own lives to prepare and perform short pieces of theatre that were both powerful and strong.

My greatest highlight was watching the older students act group leaders.  However, they slowly stepped back and allowed the younger students to step in.  It was great to see students from ages 8-18 working together. Today was a fabulous debut experience for both the school and myself. I hope to be able to volunteer with Necessary Arts in the future to continue to build this special relationship with the students and teachers of Sud Academy.   

A Fulfilling and Rewarding Experience
by Teresa Cantu

Today was a day that I know I will remember for the rest of my life, and I was literally gushing all evening trying to process everything the Necessary Arts team had the pleasure to witness and experience.  The day began with a visit to the United Nations Human Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  This unit is also known as the United Nations Refugee Agency.  As we pulled into the building the line of people in need of aid was already forming, and some people used the small dirt yard to sleep as they presumably had no where else to go.  We met a man named Jackson Karugu who gave us a tour of the UNHCR building and introduced to Margaret Njayakio.  After a brief meeting, and further introductions with members from the regional office, we ventured on to Kawangware.

SUD Academy’s principal George Deng and Deputy Principal Benjamin immediately greeted us at the painted metal gate.  After the usual pleasantries the students of SUD Academy transformed what was moments before a simple, dusty yard into our classroom full of chairs and wooden desks.  We began the workshop standing in a circle and playing the 1-10/10-1 counting game.  Counting once again was a challenge for many students, but this of course was not the true point of the activity.  The participants aged 5 years to 19 years, were already full of smiles and the energy was building.  We moved into the Wave Game to keep this energy up and to get our bodies moving.  Slowly but surely, the students caught on to the rules, but it did become clear that as expected we were working with varying levels of English.  We finished our warm up with a game of group charades in which each group of 4 to 6 students had to form whatever object Suzzi, Melinda, or I called out.  This finally enabled the students to communicate with each other, to work together, and to laugh.

We transitioned into what we are now calling the Red Card Activity.  You can read more details about this activity from my first blog, but we once again chose the word love as our model.  After having discussed what this word means, we asked the students to give a facial expression to depict love and to create a tableau.  As we had a large group, we broke the larger group down into 4 smaller groups and each group received a new word.  This time the words selected, but the students themselves, were peace, community, strength, and rights.  The students spoke with one another before creating tableaus and skits, but ultimately the most powerful moment of the workshop came with the kids had a chance to write down their ideas.

It is amazing that we can ask for volunteers to lead, whether as speaker or scribe, and students immediately volunteer.  They have an air of confidence to them in these activities, and I have to believe that this is largely due to the fact that they love being in school.  They truly understand and appreciate the power of education, and the safety that comes with this special community at SUD Academy.  Who knows what many of these students have witnessed or experienced, but in school they have a place to feel strong, secure, and loved.  After more than 10 minutes of writing we decided to move on, but I do believe many students would have continued given the chance.  We joined once more as a community and listened to the voices of each group leader share ideas.

As a teacher I have always enjoyed watching the audience.  As each student shared ideas the audience was truly transfixed and focused on each word spoken.  There was eye contact and nodding of the head.  These students may look like children, but they are more than aware of the blessings they have in life. They focus on the positives, on their strengths, and they carry with them the desire to help their community.  They are a true family that wants to look out for one another.

Today was a success on many levels.  I felt incredibly fulfilled personally, but I was also pleased knowing the contacts made by Necessary Arts as a whole.  When working with communities such as SUD Academy it becomes incredibly clear how beneficial this type of work is.  The workshops are engaging, therapeutic, challenging, and fun!  As one group pointed out – everyone should have the right to play.  It can be challenging, more so for some, to navigate this life and everyone deserves a bit of fun.