Welcome to the January - March edition of “Nakivale YTC Artist News”! A “month-in-the-life” (although it’s been a quarter!) series chronicling a young refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

To catch up, read the June 2024, July 2024, August 2024, September 2024, October 2024, November 2024 and December 2024 posts!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

Mini-Zine Distribution - 200+ Kids Received!

In December, we wrote about how we wanted to print mini-zines - short stories written and illustrated by young artists - to distribute to the children who learn art at NYTC. We were successful thanks to many RedBubble merchandise purchases and individual donations! Over 200 mini-zines were distributed at the NYTC Christmas party.

What’s more, we raised funds to provide each child with a small gift.

The Christmas party went off without a hitch. A Christmas Eve African Campfire for the older children and young adults was full of story-telling and discussion. Of course, noone slept and they were up early in the morning playing with water guns while waiting for the children to show up.

MEANWHILE… Muhindo Mutundi was working hard on building three guitars, a special New Year’s Eve surprise for the artists.

New Year’s Eve - An Illness Interlude

Unfortunately, after all of the Christmas celebrations, Akon fell extremely ill with Malaria and Typhoid while on a short trip to Mbarara to repair his cell phone. Many, MANY thanks are due to for recommending a clinic for his treatment. Akon’s family members arrived at the clinic along with artist Krehim Sharon; turns out some of them were also ill. They spent New Year’s Eve at the clinic together healing and recuperating, thankfully feeling well enough to watch the fireworks from outside the clinic’s doors.

When they returned to the Settlement, healed and refreshed, Muhindo delivered the three guitars, the first instruments to kick off NYTC’s music program.

Ubuntu International & Stand Up For Justice Support NYTC With Grant Funds

Shortly before the holidays, we learned that NYTC would be the recipient of a grant from Stand Up For Justice and International. In fact, NYTC and two other organizations - ABCC (a school) and GoGreen (a permaculture/skills training organization led by ) - would be a new “Ubuntu Hub”. For NYTC the investment meant a new mobile recording studio, chairs and tables for the art center, and ultimately additional land, a projector and screen, and a photography program. There is so much more to share about these new developments. But, rather than tell you about them, check out the videos and pictures!

Chairs & Tables Arrive

Funding in part purchased cabinets, tables and chairs to support the children’s learning. Children for many months have been sitting on broken benches and the floor.

NYTC Vests & Banner Produced

In the Settlement, all Community Based Organizations must have vests and badges. And, a banner helps when on the move. Here, Akon models the new vest with Ubuntu International and Stand Up For Justice logos. Thank you Rob Dickinson for your inspiring song “My Name Is Love.” [One of my favorites!]

Music Studio Equipment Installed!

Ubuntu and Stand Up For Justice funded a\A mobile recording studio replete with piano, guitar, mics, stands, and recording equipment that arrived in early January. Set up began immediately under the expert eye of a professional local refugee producer named John. Krehim Sharon (pictured below with blue guitar) tries out the equipment.

Check, check, 1, 2, 3! The artists gather to test the equipment.

Preparing for Ubuntu International’s Visit

Early February was the planned date for Ubuntu International’s visit. Preparations were underway, including painting an Ubuntu logo on the Center’s wall.

Finally the day arrived. Pato Banton and Antoinette Rootsdawtah of Ubuntu International and Stand Up For Justice were greeted with art, dance and song.

No visit is complete without acrobatic Culture Dance!

And communal painting. In foreground, Eric of ABCC with Pato & Antoinette of Ubuntu.

Group shot from an amazing day. Wish I were there!

After the amazing visit from Ubuntu, another surprise arrived. A Smart Projector and screen to connect the kids even more with the outside world. The projector will allow for upcoming art exhibits as well as group meetings with artists and others around the world.

In celebration of Pato Banton and Antoinette ’s visit in early, the artists collaborated with “Culture Dance” troupe to produce this incredible video to Pato and Antoinette’s “Spirit of Ubuntu” song.

Photography Lessons with DR LEE!

Since the Ubuntu visit, more opportunities have opened up. DR Lee has been photographing and using his videography skills to document the artists and their work for at least a year now. He is stepping up, volunteering his skills to launch a beginner’s photography course for up to a dozen young refugees. Documenting their stories and lives, their environment, their challenges, their joys will be an amazing next step for the creativity of these young individuals. We can’t wait to share their photography with you!

Next Up - Mini-Library!

After the cuts to USAID funding, we learned that Alight (the foundation fka American Refugee Committee out of Minnesota) was losing a large amount of their funding. This inevitably affects the Alight-administered Nakivale Community Library, the only library in the community of 180,000+ refugees. Furthermore, the library hours are incompatible with the needs of children, open only when children are in school. A recent visit from Alight Program Director Leah sparked the idea to create a mini-library at the Art Education Center. Why? Because the Center has become a community meeting place (with solar and wi-fi attracting many community members) and is open on the weekends (when the Library is not).

Launching of the NYTC Mini-Library

Leah has graciously provided a list of books for NYTC to purchase. We have a sponsor already waiting in the wings to contribute $100. Would you like to sponsor a book to help support the children’s education, curiousity and growth? If so, DM me, leave a comment, or email me at rainmakerdesign4africa@gmail.com. GoFundMe to come soon. Or just donate here! Each book costs $10. And, yes it’s cheaper to buy there than to donate from here and ship - believe me! When you donate, your name will be entered into the inside of the book and we will send you a message of gratitude. We’ll be posting videos of children reading the books too. What joy!

Donate a Book!

New Art Coming!

This post is already too long but we cannot forget to share that there is NEW art! Soon, soon, there will be a post that shares the new art. Don’t forget, if you want to support the artists, you can always shop on the RedBubble site. All profits benefit the NYTC artists! All of the art pieces look amazing on all sorts of merchandise. We will leave you with Joz’s “Love, Peace & Unity” painting. You can get this as a pair of socks, a shirt, even a puzzle!

Until next time, be well! In solidarity with you and all artists and refugees worldwide,

Welcome to the mid-December near-Solstice edition of “Nakivale YTC Artist News”! A “month-in-the-life” series chronicling a young refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

To catch up, read the June 2024, July 2024, August 2024, September 2024, October 2024, and November posts!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

Holiday Party Appeal!

We are just $150 shy of our Christmas and New Year’s holiday party budget to provide 100+ children and youth with a joyous Christmas celebration and 25+ older artists with a special New Year’s celebration.

Can you help? The best way for you to help is to contribute directly to the Nakivale TipTop Jar. Funds are managed by me and sent directly to NYTC for their celebration.

Donate to NYTC Holiday Party

Funds will be used to provide small gifts of clothing and shoes as well as a festive atmosphere complete with music, food, refreshments, and games for the children served by NYTC.

Blank cards are still available to be purchased on my Etsy store, RainMaker Design, with 100% of net proceeds going to fund the artist collective. And, merchandise is also available for sale on the RedBubble site, like these notebooks and canvas bags. All profits go to NYTC.

Solar for Solstice! Let There Be Light!

In our last issue (November 2024), I referenced the possibility of installing solar panels on the roof of the Art Education Center. Shortly after we installed the community wi-fi, the Settlement experienced a blackout for over one week. No electricity? No wi-fi.

Loss of electricity is a regular occurrence in the Settlement. Only well-funded organizations and essential services are able to ride the rough wave of blackouts by relying on generators. Even so, fuel is expensive and out of reach of many. As a result, many go without electricity. Without electricity, there is no wi-fi and phones run out of charge. People who rely on that technology to stay in touch with each other lose those connections which can produce anxiety, particularly for our artists who rely on connections with each other and the outside world.

We were able to pull together the funds in early December to install solar on the building to bring back the light and the wi-fi. Installing solar also allowed us to put three outlets on the outside of the building, bringing the total number of outlets to 10! NYTC’s Art Education Center, in this way, serves as a free charging station for community members. This new development allows NYTC to set itself up potentially to be a computer lab (applying for that possibility soon!).

Mini-Zine Short Stories

Last month, we shared the cover pages of several new short stories written and illustrated by the older artists who serve as facilitators/trainers. We were able to produce these short stories in a miniature format as “zines”, 8-page foldable booklets.

Five stories were printed and will be folded into mini-zines for distribution to nearly 200 children on Christmas day. And, two of them have since been turned into short video books.

Another Visit to New Refugee Arrivals

In early December, NYTC artists received word that new refugees from several countries (DRC and Rwanda specifically) had arrived in the Settlement. With the arrival area just a 15-minute walk from home, Akon felt compelled to go to bring some amount of hope to them. As Akon told me, “They arrive with no hope for tomorrow. They think their life is dead. Done. I take it upon myself to go and bring some hope. There is tomorrow.”

The emotional energy it takes to go and visit is immense. In addition, visiting new arrivals dredges up the trauma that Akon faced in his own childhood, losing four siblings and four grandparents. Some artists join Akon on trips like these; others can’t stomach it.

I asked Akon why he feels compelled to go visit new arrivals especially given the emotional cost. He answered, “If I do not, who will? If we are all crying to each other, who will be the one to give hope? I go to bring a smile, to play, to help them forget their yesterday if only for a short time,” he says.

I reflect that we all are compelled in some way at some point in life to serve the pain we hold from early trauma.

This time, unlike other times, Akon shared with me 50+ (only 50 here) pictures of the children who were received as new refugee arrivals. Many were orphaned having lost their parents in their home country or along the way. These are unaccompanied minors picked up along the way by adults. Unaccompanied… Unaccompanied…!

As told to me by Akon, adults and children are dropped off and given UNHCR tarps but no food and no water and no understanding of what is to happen next. Akon’s natural inclination was to raise money to feed these children but with limited resoures of his own and my own inability to provide that level of support, the idea seemed unattainable. The larger dream was to build an orphanage and second art school. I still cannot believe how many children arrive unaccompanied and there is no orphanage to house them producing a new generation of street children barely surviving in the Settlement.

We did agree that we would try our best to raise enough funds to invite these children to NYTC’s holiday party, hoping that just for Christmas day at least they will be able to forget tomorrow and start to see that there is indeed life after point of entry. There is indeed life after transforming from Congolese or Rwandan child, child of your parents, member of your village to a refugee living in a Settlement in a foreign country.

Donate to Support the Holiday Festival!

Embracing & Manifesting the Spirit of Ubuntu

We will leave you with this energetic rendition of “The Spirit of Ubuntu”, the theme song to the International documentary called “Spirit of Ubuntu” which is streaming in 2025 and also available with a learning guide to communities worldwide soon! The artists covered the original song, composed and performed by Pato Banton and Antoinette . NYTC is poised to become a partner to Ubuntu in the new year! More information to come soon on a deeper partnership with Ubuntu. There are exciting developments to come!

Art Can Change Our World! Join the Circle!

Thank you for reading the Mid-December Solstice installment of NYTC Art News! We’ll be back in early January with a full report on December’s activities including Holiday festivities.

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donate to Support NYTC

Welcome to the November edition of “Nakivale YTC Artist News”! A “month-in-the-life” series chronicling a young refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

To catch up, read the June 2024, July 2024, August 2024, September 2024, and October 2024 posts!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

Holiday Party Fundraiser!

Before we jump into the monthly news, we could definitely use your support to help fund a holiday party for the 80 children and youth served by the NYTC Art Education Center.

Using watercolors I sent back in August, Joz, Josby, Mansur, and Sellemani painted holiday cards just for you!

These blank cards can be purchased individually in quantities of 5, 10 or more. Or you can buy a multi-pack set of 5. These and more prints and merch supporting the refugee artists are all on my Etsy store, RainMaker Design, with 100% of net proceeds going to fund the artist collective.

Latrines, Handwashing, and Community Wi-Fi

This month, we made additional strides in the infrastructure of the NYTC Art Education Center, focusing on sanitation, clean water, and connection. Typhoid is rampant in communities like the Settlement where there is inadequate and insufficient access to clean water.

In September, we nearly lost our dear leader Akon Deograce to Typhoid. Ever since then, we have focused on raising funds to prioritize bathroom facilities, proper sanitation and clean water.

Our first step, was to make sure the water collected in the rainwater tank was safe for drinking. We worked with one of the nurses from the hospital that saved Akon’s life to treat the water in the main rainwater tank to kill all bacteria. This reduces the need to purchase bottled water which also reduces single-use plastic waste in the Settlement.

Latrines were next! As we wrote about in the October newsletter, thanks to a generous donation from Stand Up for Justice, a two-stall latrine structure is finally complete! The latrines also have a handwashing station using a smaller tank that is filled manually from time to time with treated water from the main rainwater tank.

Community Wi-Fi Serves a 50M Radius

Refugees in Nakivale receive a USD$5 allowance monthly from UNHCR. With very few to no sustainable income generating opportunities available, people are barely surviving. Imagine then, if you manage to obtain a phone, how might you afford the exhorbitant data bundles to access the outside world? Many don’t. Some do, but they then have no money left for basic essentials. While safety, security, clothing, food, shelter, education and healthcare are all necessities, many of these come at a high price for refugees. And, they are often faced with difficult choices.

Imagine being faced with needing to pay the hospital to save your child from malaria or typhoid or purchasing basic medicine? Many choose to sell their family cell phone which was acquired often at great expense already. Sell your phone and lose your ability to connect with other community members, family and even receive money transfers.

When the Community Chairman and the NYTC artists discussed the idea of putting a community wi-fi router on the NYTC building, I was interested in hearing more. The Community Chairman’s office is across the road from the Art Education Center. The proposal: the artists and the Chairman could work together to provide free wi-fi with a 50 meter range to the community. With the Chairman offering to pay half of the installation, we raised the funds to pay the other half.

Now, with communiy wi-fi installed, the community can come to the Center to access free wi-fi. There is only one other such free wi-fi location in the community that is a considerable walking distance from Kashojwa B village. This was a win-win!

The only downside is that the wi-fi only works when the electricity is running. Currently, as of this writing, the electricity is out in this part of the Settlement and is not expected to return for another week!

Is solar next? You bet! Why? It’s not only smart and cheaper, but it’s more reliable and it’s renewable!

Loss of electricity is a regular occurrence in the Settlement. Only well-funded organizations and essential services are able to ride the rough wave of blackouts by relying on generators. Even so, fuel is expensive and out of reach of many. And, so many go without electricity. Without electricity, there is no wi-fi and phones run out of charge. People who rely on that technology to stay in touch with each other lose those connections which can produce anxiety, particularly for our artists who rely on connections with each other and the outside world. Stay tuned for developments in December. I think we might be able to get some solar!

Take a 5-Minute Tour of the Center!

Impromptu Visit to UNHCR Headquarters

Artists were invited to visit UNHCR headquarters in Isingiro District. They had met UNHCR staff at World Refugee Day in June, gifting a large artwork on the theme “Solidarity with Refugees” by NYTC Program Director Krehim Sharon to the office. They traveled 2 hours by car with their artworks to offer UNHCR staff an impromptu art exhibit and to tell them how the new NYTC Art Education Center is making meaningful positive impacts in people’s lives at the Settlement.

Illustrated Short Stories: Sharing Pain & Hope

For months now, particularly when acrylic paint was unavailable, the artists have been working on writing and illustrating short stories with watercolors. Towards the end of November, they were able to share their stories online with me. Our plan is to create, at the very least, mini-zines to distribute to children in the Settlement.

Here are some of the cover pages of the stories they presented.

For the full recording of their story share, check out the YouTube video below.

Practice, Practice Practice

Art classes continue to happen daily with 80 children served between the ages of 5 and 25. Fridays are NYTC art expo.

Thank you for reading the November monthly installment of NYTC Art News!

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donate to Support NYTC

Should you be interested in purchasing any of these art pieces, please contact me at rainmakerdesign4africa@gmail.com or DM me here on Substack. If you would like a print, you can find some of these already up on my Etsy shop, RainMaker Design or on the NYTC RedBubble site. If you don’t see what you like, message or email me!

All proceeds of sales of art, merchandise or prints are donated to the NYTC artist collective!

Welcome to October! This post is part of a “month-in-the-life” series chronicling a young refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

To catch up, read the June 2024, July 2024, August 2024, and September 2024 posts!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

October Ushered In New Priorities

Once the dust settled from our exhilarating September 28th online Art Exhibit and Auction, there were two things to focus on in October:

• send our newly recovered leader Akon Deograce to Kampala to buy art supplies and materials and safely deliver the 14 pieces purchased at art auction to our partner Faces Up Uganda for prompt express shipping to buyers.

• attend to the important business of safety, security and wellbeing of the artists. We had nearly lost our leader and we could not in good conscience run a Center that did not attend to the water quality and sanitation problems. Solution! New toilets and a handwashing station (more to come in November!)

On Top of the World

But first, the artists, anticipating materials and paint, were itching to get into nature for rejuvenation and inspiration. They had already experienced an exhilarating high from hosting their art exhibit, it was time to get that natural high and perspective that can only come from climbing a mountain!

A mountain nearby is a favorite amongst locals to visit. With the help of their videographer friend DR Lee, they were transported in twos and threes by bike to the mountain for a day on top of the world. They danced, they sang

Art Auction Delivery & Art Haul in Kampala

Shortly after the Auction closed (in early October), the artists took the paintings off of their wooden frames, rolled them carefully and sent them with Akon on the 9-hour ride to Kampala.

First, a car from the Settlement to the nearby city of Mbarare and then a bus ride to Kampala. He arrived safely, found lodging, met with some friends, and found his way the next day to the Faces Up Uganda Community Center. At Faces Up, staff received the art and gave Akon a tour of the facility. The next task was to hit the art shops to purchase the precious Peacock Paints, paper, brushes, palette knives, and a case for carrying artwork.

I received my art auction purchases within 7 days! Total cost of shipping? USD$40.

We’re Painting Again! En Plein Air

Immediately after returning from Kampala, Akon and artists set to creating the frames and preparing canvasses for a special all-day “painting in plein air” visit to a local market.

The artists, eager to paint again and inspired by their surroundings, set up their easels at a local market. They painted in front of the community, taking their cues from the buildings, the sky, and the people around them, and answered questions posed by curious children, youngsters, and adults.

Back at the Center, More Painting

It had been three months since many of the artists had painted. They had that much time to work in graphite and in their sketchbooks. They came to the easel with fresh ideas and perspective. And many of them a new style!

To check out all of the new paintings that the artists created in October, visit this new gallery post!

Sanitation & Security!

Clearly something needed to be done about having bathroom facilities and a hand-washing station at the Center. Withou facilities, artists and students must leave and some do not return as they live far away. Together with Stand Up for Justice, now a regular partner for NYTC, we raised funds to build a two-stall latrine with tank and handwashing station. The work will be completed next month!

We also hired a security guard to stay at the Center overnight. The art is now seen as a valuable commodity as are the supplies. The artists, fearful of thieves, requested a security guard and we were able to help them do that. Moise has been with them for half of October and everyone is feeling more comfortable with having a strong man around!

A Visit to Rubondo

The artists rounded out the month with a visit to Rubondo, a location in the Settlement that receives the newest refugees. It is also an area with a mind-boggling number of street children and orphans, single teen mothers, and extreme poverty. The artists as refugees themselves understand the gift of art and wanted to give what they could to the newest group of arrivals.

They played games, sang, and painted the children’s hands. The artists dream of opening up a satellite art education center in Rubondo so that children there, many of whom do not attend school or have any structure or support in life, have an expressive outlet that is safe, secure, and supportive. Until then, the artists commit to traveling there as often as they can.

And, so much more!

This month was just as active as any other month. There's just not enough space to post it all! If you’d like regular updates on the artists, follow the NYTC Facebook page. Or, upgrade your subscription and you will get weekly updates!

Subscribe now

Thank you for reading the October monthly installment of NYTC Art News!

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donate to Support NYTC

Welcome to the September installment of Nakivale Young Talent Community (NYTC) Artist News. This post is part of a “month-in-the-life” series about a refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

To catch up, read the June 2024, July 2024, and August 2024 posts!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

September is for Moving In!

After the excitement of the August Grand Opening, it was time to move in and prepare for new students.

In Nakivale Refugee Settlement it is true that if you build it they will come. Parents of young children wanting to keep them busy, off the streets, and also in a safe and supportive environment appealed to NYTC to take their children into their art program. The space can only accommodate two sessions per day, one session in the morning for young children ages 5 to 14 and another in the afternoon for ages 15-22. In total, NYTC is now able to serve 80 children. This is in addition to the 15 teacher facilitators.

Naturally, supplies were needed. Specifically sketchbooks! And so the artists were hard at work creating sketchbooks for the new students so they could start learning and practicing their new-found drawing skills.

Furniture, specifically the chairs and tables that the group has accumulated over the years needed to be repaired.

Artist faciliators gathered to prepare for the new students. Here Program Director Krehim Sharon leads the teachers in lesson planning for the coming week.

The next online youth art expo!

The artists had already made their way through the paint that was purchased after the June 1st art expo. They had produced over 30 art pieces! The new Art Education Center’s walls were adorned with those art pieces. But, now there was no paint left to continue creating new work. We returned to the idea of an art expo to raise funds for more supplies. It would soon turn into not only an art expo but an art auction!

With the Expo scheduled for September 28th, we had just a little over one month to prepare. And, it was going to be no easy feat. This time, it would truly be international! We invited three young artists from Kibera Slums Kenya, affiliated with Future Within CBO, and three young artists from Refuge Art School in Lowell, MA.

Antoinette of Stand Up For Justice and International stepped up to be our primary event sponsors. With her support, we were able to set up an art auction on the GiveButter platform. While the auction is now over, you can see what sold and how much we ultimately raised by visiting the site!

The artists spent the weeks leading up to the event preparing their statements and readying the space for the Expo. There was also time for fun, games, and other exercises to loosen them up and ready them for the big event!

Meanwhile I spent several hours nearly daily producing Tik Tok and other social media shorts highlighting each of the 16 artists who would present on September 28th!

This one by far is my favorite. For all of my artist highlight shorts, visit my YouTube Shorts link!

Stay tuned for a post about our highly successful art expo and auction!

Rainy Season Brings a Flooded Center

September ushers in rainy season. We had not installed a rainwater tank yet due to lack of funds. And, there wasn’t any protection around the entrance to prevent water from flooding the Center. September ushered in rainy season, and threatened to destroy the Center. We had to act.

The only thing we could do was build a retaining wall and then wait for more funds for a rainwater tank and gutter system.

Finally funds were available to purchase a tank and install.

Dear Leader Down

Shortly after the rainwater tank was installed and about a week and half prior to the art expo, we got terrible news. Akon had collapsed at home, was taken to the hospital, and was unresponsivle. While I knew he had suffered from malaria earlier in August and was taking medication and “drips”, it was unclear what had caused his collapse.

And, then we learned that he was also suffering from Typhoid. It had gone undiagnosed and he was in trouble. Rushed to the hospital, his family worried that he would be left to die without treatment. Healthcare is a “pay-to-play” situation in the Settlement. No money? No service. No care? No life.

This was an emergency like no other. I contacted our good friend Elijah at GoGreen Social Initiative to hurry to the hospital and deliver emergency funds to the family. Akon was unconscious, dehydrated and fading fast. As soon as funds were delivered, the doctors began to treat him.

After a day or two of very intensive treatment which included a blood transfusion, Akon returned to consciousness. He was going to be okay. But, the question remained in my mind: how many thousands of others do not share the same fate due to lack of funds? And, how do we prevent this from happening again? I learned later that the water supply in the Settlement is not clean, not safe for drinking. Also, sanitation was lacking. There were no toilets or no place to wash hands at the Art Education Center. This was an urgent problem that needed fixing.

Art Arrived Thanks to Faces Up Uganda!

It was a herculean effort to get our first shipment of art out of the Settlement. Elijah Astute of GoGreen needed to travel to Kampala (9 hour bus ride), deliver the items to Ssekitto Emmanuel of Faces Up Uganda, who then shipped the two pieces I had purchased as well as the piece that International had purchased back in June!

It arrived 10 days later! Here is my goofy unpacking video! My first ever!

More September Activities

It’s incredible to even imagine that we did all of the above and more in one month. But, we did.

Art education programming continued.

They had their regular Friday on-site art expo complete with singing and art presentations.

And, so much more!

This month was just as active as any other month. There's just not enough space to post it all! If you’d like regular updates on the artists, follow the NYTC Facebook page. Or, upgrade your subscription and you will get weekly updates!

Subscribe now

Thank you for reading the September monthly installment of NYTC Art News!

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donate to Support NYTC

Welcome to August! This is the third installment of Nakivale Young Talent Community (NYTC) Artist News. The series is a “month-in-the-life” of a refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

To catch up, read the June 2024 and July 2024 posts!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

The Refugee Artist Support Circle (RASC) is a special section of The Creative Convergence. Subscribe for free or ugrade to paid for $8/month to enjoy artful perks from the NYTC artists!

The month was off to a harrowing start. The NYTC artist collective had been operating in a makeshift learning space built in the backyard of a local supporter. Made of sticks, UNHCR plastic, and tin roof, it is a jerry-rigged structure exposed to the elements. It also apparently has unsafe electrical wiring.

On August 5th, NYTC artists were at the space composing and practicing their new theme song (more on that below!) when all of a sudden they saw sparks flying off of the wiring.

In a panic, they raced to get help, call an electrician, and put out the fire. Ultimately, the only one hurt was Akon and thankfully only a minor burn at that.

Nevertheless, the artists were spooked and scared. And, so was I. How could we in good conscience allow them to occupy such an unsafe space and continue serving children there? The owner of the property was also not very pleased with the electrical fire even though it was likely due to his own negligence.

It was then that I agreed to fast track their New Art Education Center GoFundMe to help them finish what they had already started so they could move immediately.

We had already started “Phase 2” of the building in July using the funds from the art classes I was teaching. A beautiful progress video can be enjoyed here on my YouTube channel. But, the artists needed to move immediately to the new space. With thanks to the generous support of an anonymous donor, we were able to substantially finish the space so that could accommodate all of their art and all of the new students that they had attracted due to recent outreach.

Everyone pitched in to make the work move quickly.

The happiness leading up to the Grand Opening was palpable. None of us could believe that so much had been accomplished in such a short time.

On August 29th, the artists held a grand opening attended by over 100 people from the community of their new Art Education Center. Here is the post I wrote on that day celebrating the event. And, here is the video from the festivities! I was on Zoom watching remotely for about an hour and a half!

Family Portrait Surprise

An unexpected surprise happened his month. The artists, with the remaining paint they had decided to paint a family portrait for us! Of course, I was incredibly honored and humbled, but unsure what to do with it. We agreed that they would hang it in the Art Education Center. There we are, hanging on the wall, with Mansur in the foreground who on a precarious wooden ladder hammered in the nails.

Krehim Sharon Sings Boy Who Cried Wolf by Passenger / We Buy His Guitar Painting

The month of August was also punctuated by songwriting, singing, and music. I did not know until know that many of the artists know how to play guitar and actually compos their own music. Program Director Krehim Sharon in particular has a gorgeous voice and guitar skills. He sang two cover songs for me. Here is one, a cover of Boy Who Cried Wolf by Passenger.

Behind Sharon, as he sings, is an artwork of two guitars. I had seen it before, always thought it beautiful, but had never see it in context. I had no idea how large it was!

Immediately, my husband and I deceded we needed to buy it. We knew that doing so would give us great joy and would also help provide income for Sharon and his family. He accepted and we dreamed of receiving it soon.

NYTC Theme Song

At the time that the electrical fire happened at their old location, the artists were practicing their new theme song written by Krehim Sharon and Akon Deograce and sung in both English and French. Here they are practicing the song at one of their homes. Notice the art that surrounds them; noone felt safe anymore. And, they certainly were not going to leave their precious art at the old location anymore.

They ultimately finished writing the song and performed it as an ensemble. “No matter the tribe, no matter the nationality, we live as a family!”

Connecting with Faces Up Uganda

Serendipity and opportunity abounded in August. Ssekito Emmanuel, Founder and Director of Faces Up Uganda, an art education program in Kampala, Uganda was in the United States on a Mandela Fellowship program. I knew of him and his organization because several of the NYTC artist facilitators had participated in Faces Up Uganda art competitions, namely Javan Musafiri and Josby. I reached out to Emmanuel, found out he happened to be visiting Boston in August, and proposed a meet up and artist date at the Multi-Culural Art Center in Cambridge. He accepted!

I wrote about the meeting here. Ssekito agreed to take back with him crochet for the Nakivale Crafters Collective as well as art supplies for the NYTC artists.

Not only did I meet up with Ssekito in Boston but also saw him the following week in New York City where we both attended the screening of the new documentary by International called “The Spirit of Ubuntu.”

It would turn out that Faces Up Uganda would be the key to us shipping original art worldwide. Without Faces Up’s collaboration and cooperation, the art auction we planned for late September would not be possible.

Spirit of Ubuntu Screening: An Opportunity to Promote Art

August 8th was the screening of the documentary “The Spirit of Ubuntu”! Before I headed down with my family to NYC for the screening, there were a few presents I wanted to bring to Antoinette who is in the film with her husband Pato Banton (she composed the music too!). The NYTC artists, also fans of Ubuntu, were also keen on sending her a gift. Mansur drew a portrait of Antoinette a week before the event, in time for me print it out, frame it and bring it along. My children and I also ordered shirts with NYTC art from the Red Bubble site I created with their art. We were decked out and ready to go!

Other News!

The modeling arm of the organization also held an August modeling show in the center of the village.

For my husband’s birthday, I ordered three portraits! One of our dog Yoshi, one of our cat Kiki, and one of him with our cat, Bowser, who passed away several years ago.

Thank you for reading the August monthly installment of NYTC Art News!

Up next in September, International Online Young Artist Expo!

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donate to NYTC Tip Jar

Note: This post is your landing page for all NYTC news and will be updated regularly.

Nakivale Young Talent Community (NYTC) is a community-based organization founded by Akon Deograce, a 22-year old artist, community organizer and changemaker, and several artist friends in 2021. NYTC has since developed into a full-fledged young refugee artist collective of 15 emerging artists ages 15-22 that provides free arts education program 6 days a week to over 50 children ages 5-18.

Where in the world is Nakivale Young Talent Community? NYTC is located in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, home to over 170,000 refugees from 13 countries experiencing war, conflict, food insecurity and climate change. NYTC artists are primarily from Democratic Republic of Congo, which is still suffering from a decades long war, and Burundi and Rwanda.

Want to see a fantastic video of Nakivale? Check out this “One Day Tour” YouTube video produced by who was featured on Day 27 of the RainMakers & ChangeMakers art and storytelling series.

Become a Paid Subscriber, Support the Artists

The Creative Convergence is a GiveBackStack! 100% of your paid subscription benefits the NYTC artists. While most of the content here remains free to all, there are some perks and benefits for paid susbscribers.

Subscribe now

Read the “Join the Circle” post to see a gorgeous video of the artists at work and learn about how 100 percent of your contribution benefits the artists!

You Can Help In Other Ways Too

There are other ways to support the artists. Choose the one that works for you!

1. Contribute to the Tip Jar. The Nakivale Artist Tip Top Jar which I manage on their behalf (100% goes to materials and supplies)

2. Contribute to their GoFundMe building fund. the Grand Opening of the Art Education Center is August 29th. But, there is still more work to do!

3. Purchase a ticket to an upcoming Art Expo. Our next one is September 28th. 100% will be shared between NYTC and their Kenyan counterpart Future Within CBO.

4. Purchase a print or tshirt from the “Support Refugee Artists” section of the RainMaker Design Etsy site (my site) that has a growing collection of NYTC art.

5. Purchase an original art piece. It is possible! I’ve done it and am awaiting two pieces to arrive in the United States thanks to shipping support from partner Faces Up Uganda. Check out the NYTC gallery for available original art.

A Month-In-The-Life of NYTC

Every month I write a monthly post with input from Founder Akon Deograce and other NYTC artists chronicle their artistic adventures. Fifteen young artists between the age of 15 and 22 collectively make up the Nakivale Young Talent Community. Together, they teach ar to over 50 children and youth.

Online Young Artist Expos

09 | 28 | 2024 “The World Through My Eyes” International Expo

Join us for this engaging and eye-catching international online expo celebrating emerging youth artists! Nakivale Artists collaborate with three Kibera Slums artists and three US artists to produce their second online expo. More artists will be listed as we get closer to the date.

06 | 01 | 2024 “Nakivale Young Refugee Artist” Expo

Did you miss the June 1st Online Expo? 10 NYTC artists showcased their work and raised enough money to purchase materials and supplies to produce 30+ new artworks! Read more here:

Non-Stop Nakivale Arts

The easiest way to view the work of NYTC artists is this compilation page. Portrait practice, professional commissions, and expo art!

Meet the Artists!

Read more about each of the talented emerging young artists on the NYTC Artist Profile page.

Welcome to the second installment of Nakivale Young Talent Community (NYTC) Artist News. The series is a “month-in-the-life” of a refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

Did you miss our first installment! Check out the June NYTC post here!

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

“Beauty of Africa” Sold to Ubuntu International

Mansur Kajib Kabera, 18-year old Congolese refugee and one of NYTC’s art facilitator/trainers, sold his painting titled “The Beauty of Africa” in July!

It was great cause for celebration. The painting has inspired so many: the artists themselves, the audience at the June 2024 Online Art Expo, me, and Antoinette Rootsdawtah of Ubuntu International who ultimately purchased the piece. The artwork will be proudly displayed on all Ubuntu team member tshirts.

Before the art piece was shipped to the United States, the artists got together to share the inspiration and the love for this piece.

Tshirts and canvasses with the image can be purchased here on my Etsy store: RainMaker Design. 100% of profits ($20 per shirt or canvas) go to Mansur directly and the NYTC collective.

Nakivale Artists Are On YouTube!

A playlist of videos profiling each artist and their World Refugee Day art pieces is up on the RainMaker Design YouTube channel

Almost every one of the artists that produced work for the June 20th World Refugee Day celebration outside of Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda was able to present their artwork in front of the camera. A playlist of those videos can be found here on my YouTube Channel. (The list is not complete, but will be rounded out soon with videos once the audio is polished to remove background noise).

The artists have established a relationship with videographer DR Lee, a Congolese refugee in the Settlement who provides videography, editing, and photography services. More on him later! He is a behind-the-scenes resource that we rely on to make sure we get high quality images and videos of the artists, their work, and the expos we organize!

Artists Visit New Refugees

This week some of the artist faciliators visited Kabazana. Every week, new refugees are arriving to the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Many if not most are from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where a decades-long war rages. Over 6 million have been killed, 7 million internally displaced and 1 million are refugees living in settlements and camps outside of the DRC in Kenya and Uganda or elsewhere around the world.

We went for a visit and to refresh our minds and so that artists could get more ideas because they draw what they see. But, actually we find people in that community are suffering. Mostly children. Many children told us they want to start learning art but there is no where they can learn art and there are no facilitators. My heart was broken actually. - Akon Deograce.

To help the children get their minds off the trauma of fleeing war and conflict, they dance, sang, and played with the children. Many enjoyed looking at pictures of art on Akon’s phone (see picture below, bottom right).

Many if not all of the NYTC artists have experienced their own traumatic deparure from their homelands. This visit which included one particulary traumatic event where a young mother collapsed and died from a bullet wound during the visit resurfaced pain and grief for the artists. Many of them left family members behind or lost them to violence. Some were witnesses to that violence. While art is an incredibly therapeutic modality, mental health support and counseling is critical but unavailable to most living in the Settlement.

Storytelling & Illustration

While the artists wait to raise more funds for paint (their preferred medium is acrylic paint) and canvasses, they have been using the watercolor paints and paper funded by the June 1st art expo ticket sales and a donation from California-based nonprofit Stand Up for Justice.

Javan Musafiri and Nathalic Sindano are shown here working on their illustration. The storylines are being written by the artists in tandem and individually. Their plan is to produce a collection of inspiring refugee stories to publish and share with children in Nakivale as well as worldwide.

Portrait Practice Makes Perfect

Weekly, from Monday through Saturday, from 9 am to 4 pm, the artists are teaching art to children ages 5 to 18. When the children leave, that’s when the artists get their own practice in. For more portraits produced by NYTC, visit the Non-Stop Nakivale Arts post, a post that will feature all Nakivale art!

Sketchbooks for Students!

In late July, NYTC received a $100 donation from Smart International to create sketchbooks for primary students. I sent additional funds so they could purchase pencils and erasers.

July Fashion Show

Did you know that NYTC sponsors fashion shows? In June, they hosted in the center of the community a large fashion show for youth and young adults. Fashion shows are incredibly popular in the Settlement and are seen as an opportunity to bring together people from different countries. The Settlement is home to over 170,000 refugees from 13 countries and organized into dozens of villages. Fashion shows like the one organized by NYTC and faciliated by Akon Deograce (who has experience as a model) have a positive impact on community relations. For a glimpse of Settlement fashion shows, check out this video from May 2024 organized by Akon.

In July they hosted a fashion show for children at one of the local primary schools. Akon Deograce, Founder of NYTC, who is only 22-years old, missed his childhood always on the run from violence. He tries to recapture his youth on a regular basis by spending time organizing activities and games with young children.

Thank you for reading the July monthly installment of NYTC Art News!

Up next in August, the opening of the new Arts Education Center! And, plans for a late September Art Expo.

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donation to NYTC Tip Jar

A growing list of talented emerging young refugee artists living in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement. Click on each image to read a full interview!

They are so prolific, they run out of paint regularly. Let’s celebrate non-stop Nakivale art, whether it’s graphite or color pencil or paint!

Student Portrait Practice

Process Pics!

Commissioned Professional Portraiture

72 Hr Paint-A-Thon Produced 30+ Artworks in June 2024

Nakivale artists worked day and night to produce art in advance of World Refugee Day 2024. Scroll down for some fun pictures from the World Refugee Day adventure.

Nathalie Sindano

Javan Musafiri

Marjolaine Furaja

Benjamin Daviruka

Krehim Sharon

Josby

Jonathan

Lionel Jospin

Mansur Kabera

World Refugee Day 2024 Nakivale Refugee Settlement Uganda

Following the June 1st Online Young Refugee Art expo, enough funds were raised to purchase paints, canvas and brushes to produce more artwork… just in time for UNHCR’s June 20th World Refugee Day Celebration.

After three days and nights of non-stop Nakivale arts, the artists piled into a car and drove their precious artworks to the celebration.

Karibu! Welcome!

This post is the first in a series of posts that provides more details about the Nakivale Young Refugee Artist Support Circle.

First off, thank you for subscribing to this Section of The Creative Convergence. All new subscribers to The Creative Convergence are automatically signed up to receive all free posts related to the Nakivale Refugee Artists.

Free Subscribers to This Section

If you are a free subscriber and you either signed up for this Section of the Newsletter or subscribed to The Creative Convergence after July 7, 2024*, you will receive occasional free posts about the Nakivale Refugee Artists that update you on what’s happening in the studio, about new work they are creating, and celebrating sales and achievements.

*all new subscribers after July 7, 2024 to The Creative Convergence, are automatically subscribed to this Section. To unsubscribe, scroll down for instructions.

Even if you are not interested in becoming a paid subscriber (read below for more details), you can still help! I am accepting one-time donations to their material and supplies fund via a Tip Jar that I manage on their behalf. 100% of proceeds from the Tip Jar will be pooled with other funds and transferred to them on an as-needed basis.

Nakivale Artist Tip Jar

Upgrade to Paid Subscription! Support Working Artists and Art Education

Should you wish to upgrade to a paid subscription at The Creative Convergence, you automatically become a member of the Nakivale Refugee Support Circle. Your full subscription fee ($8 subscription plus deducted Substack & Stripe fees which will be paid by me) will be used to fund materials, supplies and a lunch program for the artists and the children and youth they teach and mentor. In return, you will receive exclusive content and access to new Nakivale art! Sample content is provided below!

Paid Subscription Levels

Subscription Levels for Nakivale Young Refugee Artist Support Circle

Painter Level: $8/month
Master Artist Level: $75/year
Founding Art Patron Level: $150/year

Painter Level includes:

• Exclusive Weekly Posts: Stories, pictures, and videos about the artists' work and their journey in building a new education center.

• Monthly E-Print Card: Unique art piece with accompanying story created and written by the young artists. View examples on our RedBubble page.

• Monthly Zoom Meeting: Discussions and paint demonstrations with the artists.

Master Artist Level Includes:

• All Painter Level benefits

• Free participation in one Online Art Exhibition per year

• One free 8x12 unframed print of your choice mailed to you

Founding Art Patron Level Includes:

• All Master Artist Level benefits

• One commission piece from the artist of your choice (this is not an original or an e-print, but you do receive the high res file of your comissioned print; if you choose to purchase the original, shipping fees apply).

Paid Subscriber Benefits start September 2024

Subscription benefits launch in September 2024. From then, all subscribers can access paywalled posts and receive their first e-card art print upon upgrading. Master Level and Founding Art Patrons will be contacted to coordinate additional benefits.

Here are some examples of the kinds of content you will receive as a Paid Subscriber!

Posts with videos, videos, and more videos

While much of my content about the Nakivale Artists will remain free, paid subscribers will two additional posts per month written by me with content - video and photo - created by the artists documenting their art journeys. These Nakivale Artists are growing up in the age of TikTok; so, photos and videos (and more videos!) are how they like to communicate their work.

Process Video Sample: Here’s one video created by Founder Akon Deograce highlighting the work of young Moisse.

Video Journal Reports from Artists: Krehim Sharon, one of the artist teacher/mentors, shares the first page of his sketchbook that he received as part of the June 1st Art Expo. This was part of a Zoom meeting I had with them while they were in Kampala purchasing paints in June 2024.

Photo-documenting their escapades: In June 2024, the artists needed to source materials to build their own canvasses. They also worked day and night for three days straight to prepare 30 art pieces to show at the UNHCR World Refugee Day outside of the Settlement in Uganda.

Exclusive E-Card Art

Paid subscribers will receive monthly digital happy mail! The E-Card Art will include the art as well as the artists’s handwritten story plus additional content about the artist and their inspiration for the work.

The first installment of E-Card Art will be launched September 2024 featuring artwork by 19-year old Congolese Refugee Benjamin Daviruka.

I hope you will stay, but if you want to unsubscribe from this Section…

To unsubscribe from this Section and no longer receive this content, navigate to your Substack Account settings for your subscription to The Creative Convergence. There, you can toggle off subscriptions for the Nakivale Refugee Support Circle.

Imagine what they could produce with ongoing support!

Every artist needs someone to believe in them, appreciate their work and support them to thrive. Become a paid subscriber of The Creative Convergence and you will help support over 50 young refugee artists and their mentors in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda, helping them continue their creative work and mentorship.

How will your paid subscription help? 100% of your paid subscription plus deducted Substack and Stripe fees (which will be covered by me) will fund art materials and supplies as well as a daily meal and water for one young artist, keeping them learning, producing, and working towards their goal of using their art to express themselves and earn a living.

In return, you will receive a special set of Artist Support Circle benefits. Support circle benefits include exclusive posts about the artists, monthly e-card art and access to monthly Zoom sessions with the artists (for more details scroll down!). You can also go directly to the first Welcome Post for Free & Paid Subscribers.

Your Paid Subscription Supports Artists & Art Education

Your paid subscription directly supports Nakivale Young Talent Community (NYTC), a registered community-based organization in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. NYTC was created by young refugee artists to support their own art journeys as well as provide free art education and mentorship to over 50 children.

NYTC refugee artists, aged 15-22 from Congo, Burundi, South Sudan, and other African countries experiencing war and conflict, use art to stay motivated, hopeful, and express their pain and hope. They have fled war and conflict, each with a story of tragic loss and trauma. Despite this, Nakivale artists create stunning, inspiring art with minimal resources, running their own art education program in a makeshift shelter. (They are currently working to complete an Art Education Center).

Participating in the NYTC art program helps young boys and girls stay off the streets and learn in a nurturing environment. Opportunities for income in the settlement are scarce. Refugee families in Nakivale barely survive on $5 a month per person, with limited job opportunities and no food rations. Depression and loneliness often lead to desperation, pushing some towards alcohol and drugs. Youth art programs offer hope and skill development for a brighter future.

Your Paid Subscription Feeds Minds, Hearts & Bodies

Proceeds from all paid subscriptions, plus Substack and Stripe fees (which I cover), combined with my monthly contribution, will be used to:

1. Buy art supplies such as paints, canvases, pencils, and sketchbooks, enabling artists to create high-quality art for sale and teach young artists.

2. Support a daily lunch program for children attending art classes, providing beans, rice, and water to ensure they have the energy to learn and create and remain hydrated with safe water. Teacher and mentor artists will also benefit!

3. Fund Wi-Fi access for artists to upload images, participate in Zoom meetings, and access online art classes and images, connecting them to the outside world and enhancing their skills.

A monthly paid subscription of $8 will support the daily art material and lunch needs of one child or youth per month.

Your Paid Subscription Keeps NYTC Artists Producing… Selling Original Art is a Path to Income Generation and Organizational Sustainability

Your paid subscription also keeps the older artists (oldest is only 22!) working by feeding them and keeping their paint palettes full. The opportunity to generate income through the sale of prints and original art work.

NYTC celebrated their first sale of original art work in June 2024. Stand Up For Justice based in the United States purchased the original painting (pictured below) from 19-year old Mansur Kabera. The majority of the proceeds benefitted Mansur’s family with the remainder going to fund the organization’s internet data costs.

By keeping the older artists producing work, there will be more opportunities to help market their work to a wider audience, enabling them to sell prints and originals to feed their families and support the organization’s activities into the future. Visit the RedBubble site I set up for Nakivale artists or the RainMaker Design Etsy site where I sell crochet and Nakivale print and merchandise with all profits given to the artists.

Enjoy this short video of the artists joyfully working after classes… (I recommend pausing the video up top first so you can enjoy the full effects of the below video).

Paid Subscription Levels

Subscription Levels for Nakivale Young Refugee Artist Support Circle

Painter Level: $8/month
Master Artist Level: $75/year
Founding Art Patron Level: $150/year

Painter Level includes:

• Exclusive Weekly Posts: Stories, pictures, and videos about the artists' work and their journey in building a new education center.

• Monthly 4x6 E-Print: Unique art piece with accompanying story created and written by the young artists. View examples on our RedBubble page.

• Monthly Zoom Meeting: Discussions and paint demonstrations with the artists.

Master Artist Level Includes:

• All Painter Level benefits

• Free participation in one Online Art Exhibition per year

• One free 8x12 unframed print of your choice mailed to you

Founding Art Patron Level Includes:

• All Master Artist Level benefits

• One commission piece from the artist of your choice (you will receive the high res file of your comissioned print; if you choose to purchase the original, shipping fees apply).

Here is an example! The artists drew my Siberian cat, Kiki. And, my Dachshund Mix, Yoshi.

Paid Subscriber Benefits start September 2024

Paid subscription benefits launch September 2024. From then, all paid subscribers can access paywalled weekly posts and receive their first art e-print upon upgrading. Master Level and Founding Art Patrons will be contacted to coordinate additional benefits.

For more information on the difference between Free & Paid Subscriptions as it relates to Nakivale Refugee Art Support circle as well as a sneak peak into the kind of content you will receive as a Paid Subscriber, check out this post:

If you want to support but don’t want to upgrade to a paid subscription and be a Circle member…

You can make a difference with a one-time donation of any amount to the Tip jar I set up and manage on behalf of the artists. Tip jar donations go directly into the same pool of funds that will support daily artist supplies, materials, plus food and water costs.

Nakivale Young Artist Tip Jar

Or, you can make a donation to the Nakivale Young Talent Community’s Building Fundraiser. I’ve set up a GoFundMe page to help them complete the Arts Education Center they already started building in 2023: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-complete-nakivale-young-artist-education-center

Read More About The Young Refugee Artists of Nakivale…

To read more about the Young Refugee Artists at Nakivale, you can read artist profiles here, watch the video from our June 1st Artist Expo here, and check out the Substack posts I’ve written about them to date on The Creative Convergence.

FAQs

What percentage of my subscription truly goes to benefit the artists? 100% of your paid subscription plus deducted Substack fees and Stripe fees (I will cover those) go directly to Nakivale Young Talent Community. If there are any wire transfer fees, I cover them.

If 100% of my gross paid subscriptions goes to benefit the artists, how is The Creative Convergence (namely Emily!) covering the costs for subscriber benefits like artwork? Many hands make light work. I’ve already made substantial contributions to this group. But I can’t level them up alone. So, by joining me here as a paid subscriber, you are making this work much lighter and much more fun for all of us! So, it is my pleasure to pay for the costs of subscriber benefits. The end game here is to benefit the artists and put them on a path to self-sufficiency while they mentor the next generation of Nakivale artists.

Can I stop my subscription at any time?Yes! But consistency helps support the programming.

Can I get a refund? No refunds unless you signed up by accident. DM me to resolve.

How do I know this is legit? Nakivale Young Talent Community is registered as a Community Based Organization with the County of Isingiro in Uganda. Between the organization and me, we have developed systems of accounability, whereby the artists regularly show how funds are used as agreed and a monthly report is submitted to me. If you're uncomfortable with the program, a subscription may not be for you.

What accountability will be provided? Funds are sent weekly to NYTC Director Akon Deograce in Uganda via SendWave (zero fee third party money transfer company), with the artists providing regular updates and weekly Zoom check-ins. Their monthly expense report as well as money transfer receipts proving that I have transfered 100% of paid subscriptions to the organization will be made available monthly via a Shared Google Drive folder to paid subscribers.

How do I purchase original art? Plans are underway for facilitating the purchase of original art; stay tuned!

Can I purchase a print? Yes! You can also purchase merchandise at the RedBubble store I set up for the artists or my Etsy store. All profits benefit the artists.

For other questions, please DM me!

Welcome to the first installment of Nakivale Young Talent Community (NYTC) Artist News. The series is a “month-in-the-life” of a refugee artist collective called “Nakivale Young Talent Community” in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This and related content is located on the Refugee Artist Support Circle section of The Creative Convergence.

Subscribe specifically to this section for free (click here to go to your settings for subscribing to The Creative Convergence to toggle on or off subscribing to the the Support Circle). As a subscriber you receive monthly digests full of stories, art, videos and pictures featuring the struggles and successes of 15 talented emerging young refugee artists living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Upgrade to paid and you can become part of the Refugee Support Circle; 100% of your $8 monthly subscription goes directly to NYTC to support their material costs. Plus you receive artful perks! Learn more more about that here.

June 1st Young Artist Online Expo!

It happened! In just a month, after NYTC Director Akon Deograce proposed it, we organized and executed our first young artist online expo featuring the art of 10 young refugee artists.

For a full reflection on what it took to produce this event and the impact, check out this post.

Full Recording on YouTube

The full Zoom recoreded video (nearly 2 hours long!) of the Art Expo, glitches and all, lives on my YouTube channel. We also sent the video to FaceBook live. My first live streaming. While it’s hella long, the best part about this video (other than the artists presenting of course) is that it includes the questions from the audience and interaction. Artist friends from the United States actively participated on the Zoom call while other friends commented on Facebook. That was our primary goal in producing this event! Connect these young artists with people outside of their immediate world and give them a sense that they are part of a global community of artists and art appreciators.

Highlight Reel

Our talented co-host of GoGreen Social Initiative (fka BioGreen) produced this short of the post-Exhibit reflections from three of the artists.

Professionally Produced 16-Minute Version

The 16-minute version that my talented videographer friend Hannah Wehr edited and produced is now available!

Art Supplies Haul - A Trip to Kampala

While the primary goal of the Art Exhibit was to give the young artists a sense of broader community, the secondary goal was to raise funds for new art supplies. The artists had not painted in weeks and for some it had been months. Paint is not only affordable to these young artists who receive USD$5 per month from the Office of the Prime Minister and UNHCR as a living allowance, it’s virtually inaccessible. They have to travel by bus for 9 hours from the Settlement to Kampala where they can purchase paints. A trip like that requires a two-night stay and return fare. And, with the kind of art haul we were hoping for, they would need to hire a car to send the materials back. There’s no bringing bags full of paint on a crowded bus!

Thanks to $100 in net ticket sales plus donations, we raised sufficient funds to send two artists - Founder Akon Deograce and Program Director Krehim Sharon to Kampala to purchase supplies.

Arting on the Road

While Akon and Sharon were in Kampala, Sharon couldn’t help but start working in his sketchbook which was gifted to all Art Exhibit participants. Sharon explained on a Zoom call that not having a sketchbook has never stopped him from drawing. But, now that he has one, his ability to sketch concepts for his future art pieces has been elevated.

I can’t stop myself for not having a real sketchbook or one that accepts watercolor. I shall make it even if there is no way out. But this is a way out. The first thing is that I have a sketchbook that is mine. I have to work hard for it. I have to make it. - Krehim Sharon

Watch the full 2-minute sketchbook share here:

The Art Haul

It’s what they have been waiting for! More paint! They were able to purchase canisters of five colors of paint in bulk from Peacock Paints, acrylic paint known for it's high quality made in Uganda.

Check out this video sent to me by the artists while on the 9-hour bus ride home.

Once they returned home, there was still more to do! The canvas they purchased (which is material more like muslin) needed to be stretched over frames. It was time to visit the lumber yard to purchase the wood for frames.

World Refugee Day - June 23 2024

With the boon of paint and canvas, the artists were ready to start painting again. UNHCR’s World Refugee Day was around the corner. The artists decided that they wanted to work day and night for three days to prepare new paintings to bring to the celebration.

This check-in video highlights the artists “in process”. Many of the paintings featured in the below video went on to be sold in a future art exhibit/auction!

After three days and nights of non-stop Nakivale arts, the artists piled into a car and drove their precious artworks to the celebration.

What will July bring?

We can only imagine! So much art has been produced. Can we sell the art to help them raise funds for themselves and their families? What about their makeshift art center? It’s busting at the seams. Not enough space and not safe.

You can find out here at our July 2024 update!

Thank you for reading the June 2024 monthly installment of NYTC Art News!

If you prefer to support with a one-time donation, add your tip to the Nakivale Tip Jar here! Managed by me, Emily, of The Creative Convergence. Every penny helps. Funds pooled for the NYTC collective and arts program purchase paints, brushes, paper, canvasses, and fund a food program for the children that attend free art education Monday through Saturday year-round.

Donation to NYTC Tip Jar

Welcome to the second edition of “In Their Own Words”! I’m releasing two of these posts back to back on the same day in preparation for tomorrow’s Online Nakivale Young Artist Expo that I am facilitating and co-hosting. [Tickets still available! Click the link to find out more or message me].

Art Can Change The World

Meet Akon Deograce, a 22-year old Congolese refugee who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo with his family 12 years ago and has lived ever since at the Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

“Art can change the world” is not only a motto, it’s how he lives his life. He lives and breathes creativity and community organizing and is actively finding ways to uplift and empower youth of all backgrounds, nationalities and languages at the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda.

He is an entrepreneur and changemaker, storyteller [see his story that I guest published here], an artist and fashion guru. He teaches art skills, together with his young artist friends, upwards of 35 youth. On a monthly basis, he organizes public fashion shows at the Settlement to create cross-cultural connections and community (there are 170K+ people from 13 East African countries who have sought a haven at the Settlement). [Scroll down for videos!]

Akon is also my co-host along with Elijah Astute for tomorrow’s online Nakivale Young Artist Expo. While the Zoom event is closed to folks who register (there’s still time!) we will be live streaming on Facebook. So, look for me there Saturday, June 1st at 9 am EDT.

Limited Access to Substack

Similar to Elijah, Akon has few opportunities to participate in Substack. While he has an account here, uploading content is nearly impossible without the purchase of a modem and router and a data bundle subscription. It’s a wonder we managed to even do a Zoom together.

Nakivale Fashion

As I mentioned above, Akon organizes fashion shows as part of his Young Fashion Africa initiative. Last weekend, over 60 youth participated in these coordinated and organized fashion shows. While sending these videos to me over What’s App is possible, uploading to YouTube and Facebook much less Substack is impossible So, I’ve uploaded them to YouTube for him. Links to those videos are also here: Fashion Show #1 and Fashion Show #2.

Birthday Art

I’ll leave you with this generous gesture. For my 50th birthday this past month, they organized a surprise birthday portrait for me, sketched by 15-year old artist “Josby”.

I hope you enjoyed these last two “In Their Own Words” issues. I hope to do more. Depending on the content, they will either land here or on my other Substack called “RainMakers and ChangeMakers” that I just launched earlier this week.

Thank you for watching and caring!

Emily

NOTE: The above video is only my SECOND edited video, clipped from a Zoom session! Apologies for the poor quality initially. If you’d like to view the video with the accurate subtitles [Substack auto subtitles did a pretty good job but not 100% accurate), head on over to my YouTube channel to view the video there and turn on “closed captioning” [CC].

This is my first edited video, clipped from a Zoom session! If you’d like to view the video with the accurate subtitles [Substack auto subtitles did a pretty good job but not 100% accurate), head on over to my YouTube channel to view the video there and turn on “closed captioning” [CC].

It’s rare that we get to hear and see people here on Substack. Correction: it’s rare that is to hear and see people for whom participating in and uploading to Substack is a challenge or completely cost prohibitive. That’s why I’m overjoyed to bring directly to your Substack inbox the amazing Elijah Astute, founder of Bio-Green and Nakivale Arts Collective.

Elijah Astute is a 24-year old Congolese refugee living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. He is an all around renaissance man - a yoga teacher, techie expert, mushroom grower, poet, artist, and so much more.

He is also my co-host for tomorrow’s online Nakivale Young Artist Expo. While the Zoom event is closed to folks who register (there’s still time!) we will be live streaming on Facebook. So, look for me there Saturday, June 1st at 9 am EDT.

If you’d like to learn more about Elijah, you can find out more about him and his work here:

• Interview with Jessica Perini of Permaculture Partners

• “The Inspiring Story of Bio-Green and Refugee Resilience” on the Permaculture Association website

In the future, I look forward to sharing several of Elijah’s poems here on Substack as a guest writer (until we can get him here directly on Substack).

Thank you for watching and caring!

Emily

In my last post, I hinted at new opportunities and experiences that I wanted to share. This is one of them!

POST-EVENT UPDATE! Our event was such a success that I created a Refugee Artist Support Circle; you can upgrade to paid subscriptions to support the artists and enjoy fun rewards in the process! Check out the intro post here with an amazing short video of the artists’ works in process.

You’re invited!

On Saturday June 1st, 2024 at 9 am Eastern Standard Time (2 pm London, 4 pm Kampala), I am facilitating and co-hosting an online artist expo and exchange featuring the work of 10 artists between the ages of 15 and 20 living in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda.

Eventbrite Link Here to Register!

View our Young Artist Profiles here!

This event is the first of many online events that will connect these and other young artists with others in the art world: artists, art lovers, art appreciators and loving humans across the world! We believe that these young artists, who fled war and conflict (often as children) and continue to face harsh living conditions, should have the largest stage possible to share their passion, talent, and their stories. Art has been their solace, their refuge, their balm, their passion, and - we hope - a source of income! We are honored to bring their art and stories to you and the world.

What to expect

Our event is online via Zoom. It will last 1.5 hours and will feature 10 arists between the ages of 15 and 20 and their work. After a short introduction of the event, each artist will share one or two pieces of art and talk about their inspiration, technique and medium. Participation and questions are encouraged! Most of the artists speak English; however, for those who are not as fluent, we have two co-hosts capable of interpreting.

How to participate

Tickets are $5 per person on Eventbrite. You must register on Eventbrite to participate; the Zoom link will be emailed to registered participants several hours prior to the event.

Eventbrite Link Here to Register!

Ticket proceeds will be used to purchase sketchbooks and paints for the artists. Students and those living on the African continent can join for free with a code - message me or leave a comment! If you cannot attend, we plan on recording the event on Zoom and sharing widely here and on social media.

Event Co-Hosts

We are three passionate organizers who met based on a common love of art. We also share the conviction that art is a common language and can bring people together. We believe that sharing art fosters understanding, compassion, empathy and action. A few people doing a few small things together can have great impact!

Elijah Astute, Founder of Bio-Green and Nakivale Arts Collective. Astute is a 24-year-old Congolese refugee living in Uganda's Nakivale Refugee Settlement since 2016, Elijah is a multi-talented changemaker, leader, entrepreneur, and activist (not to mention a soap maker, yoga teacher, artist, and poet). "Born in Bukavu, Congo, I had dreams of becoming a software engineer or astronomer. However, the war forced me to flee, leaving my education behind. Overcoming adversity after arriving in Nakivale, I faced numerous challenges, including being refused by the Refugee Eligibility Committee and spending two years on the streets. Despite these obstacles, I discovered permaculture and earned certifications in Permaculture Design (PDC) and Mushroom cultivation." Elijah has raised funds to build an education and community center in Nakivale where he holds training in crafts, soap-making, and other skills to empower community members, especially women and youth.

Akon Deograce, Founder of Nakivale Young Talent Community. Deograce is the 22-year old founder and CEO of Nakivale young talents community. He left his origin country of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2012 when he was 10, fleeing the chaos of war. His family, once a sanctuary of love and laughter for 14 souls, was tragically fragmented by the conflict, leaving only 7 survivors. Akon, alongside his remaining kin, embarked on a treacherous odyssey, finally finding refuge at the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Always drawn to the arts, dance, modeling, drawing, and painting, Akon founded Nakivale Young Talent Community in 2021, an initiative where he could channel his passion for change into action. "It was a commitment to lift others as I climbed, to turn the tide of despair into waves of opportunity for the children, youth, women and teenage mothers of my community." At NYTC, Akon and his fellow activist/changemakers teach and practice drawing, painting, sewing, soapmaking and other skills.

Emily Kaminsky, RainMaker Design & Spaghetti Twisted Thoughts Substack. Kaminsky is a 50-year old community development finance professional with an active arts and volunteer life. RainMaker Design is the moniker of her “crochet for a cause” Etsy shop where 100% of crochet sales are donated to sustainable agriculture, arts, and women entrepreneurship programs in East Africa (and dog rescues if you buy pup bandanas!). She is an artist, writer, and mom of three boys.

Where is Nakivale?

Nakivale is located in Southwest Uganda and is the oldest refugee settlement in Africa, established in 1959 when the Tutsis fled one of the first conflicts in Rwanda.

For a 20-minute ride through Nakivale, this YouTube video provides a “one day tour” of the Settlement.

Nakivale Settlement sits on 71 square miles and houses 182,000 refugees as of December 2023. The settlement is made up of 79 villages each with an average of 800-1,000 people. The population is primarily made up of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Thank you for joining us for our Arts Expo!

Xo,

Emily, Elijah and Akon