Art & History Making ~ Uganda Day 11

“I paint self-portraits … because I am the person I know best.”  ~ Frida Kahlo

We headed for Kagoma Gate at 9:00 this morning. Big puffy clouds shone against brilliant blue sky. Red roofs dot the countryside as we drive through endless fields of sugarcane. This is a beautiful country!

Maureen led an art class with 40 children in P6 who each made a ceramic tile painted with a self-portrait. I’m never seen this number of kids so silently intent on the task at hand.

Artists intend on their works of art

These tiles will be glazed and then hung on the wall of the feeding center, along with ones that the children made last year.

When they all hang together they make such a beautiful statement, and the students take ownership in their school.

The finale of the week was to show a movie to a community that had never seen one before. No electricity here, but we brought in equipment with auxiliary power. We christened one of the new classroom buildings with what the director called “An Historic Event.” No pressure here!

The movie is called the Queen of Katwe. It is a true story about a young girl who rose out of a Ugandan slum to win the world chess Olympiad. The rural community where we work is taught chess by “the real Robert.” The children in the village play chess against “the real Phiona” (chess champion). The 2016 movie is an accurate depiction of life in Uganda. The children were glued to the image projected on the white sheet and left with wonder in their eyes. This is a wonderful movie of hardship and hope. See it if you have not already.

The “Real Robert” from the 2016 Disney true story, returns to discuss the movie with the children who have just seen it

I received an email yesterday telling me the stars of this Disney movie, the “Real Robert and Real Phiona” came to discuss the movie with the children. What a thrill!