Zimbabwe Aids Orphans Art Project

SYNERGY ART FOUNDATION INVITES YOU TO
CELEBRATE “UBUNTU”
HONORING THE AIDS ORPHANS IN ZIMBABWE
EVENT: Synergy Art Foundation Fundraiser with Art Exhibition and
Free Children’s Art Workshops to benefit Zimbabwe Aids Orphans
www.synergyart.org
WHEN: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2005
1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.
WHERE: ESCONDIDO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
Grape Day Park/California Center for the Arts
380 N. Escondido Blvd, Escondido, CA 92025
www.escondidochildrensmuseum.org for a printable map
ADMISSION: $5 per person (for the museum)
CHILDREN’S ART ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
Printing on cloth
Drawing/painting African animals
Creating Peace Medallions
Participating in interactive drumming circle

SYNERGY ART FOUNDATION PARTNERS with
UMZINGWANE AIDS NETWORK
Synergy Art Foundation has partnered with this NGO in Zimbabwe to bring the arts to Aids orphans. In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that nearly 1 in 5 children has lost a parent to AIDS. Often it is just a question of time before the other parent dies. Some experts fear that within a few years, half of Zimbabwe's children could be orphans. Many of these children are heads of households, taking care of their younger siblings.

Umzingwane is an area located approximately fifty miles outside of Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe. Like much of the country, this region has been deeply affected by the current government, experiencing food shortages and inflation that reaches 600%. According to Lucia Malemane, Executive Director of Umzingwane Aids Network, "The organization provides one meal to these children, and this is probably all they eat all day".

The Aids orphans go to Shale School and have formed a group called the Aids Action Club. The club aims at increasing awareness about Aids. At school, they are taught English, Ndebele, Home Economics, Singing, and Mathematics. The Aids orphans range in age from 10 to 12 years and had never experienced using colored crayons, pencils or paints.

Synergy Art Foundation has coordinated an on-going exchange between Shale School's group of Aids orphans and Saint John's Episcopal School, in Chula Vista, under their art teacher, Lenor Luna.

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to this program, please issue checks to "Synergy Art Foundation" and mail to: Synergy Art Foundation, 251 Barbara Avenue, Solana Beach, CA 92075.

For more information, please contact Naomi Nussbaum at (858) 509-1155 nnartd@gmail.com. |