In March, Ron and Nan Deal led a team of videographers, artists, musicians, and friends to Ghana. This passionate group planned a multi-day art and music camp at the Touch A Life Care Center with activities for all ages! Suitcases full of art supplies such as polaroid cameras, Legos, sidewalk chalk, and even a few guitars made their way to the Care Center from all over the United States.
The youngest Touch A Life kids, the 25 children who were rescued in October and November, participated in activities that introduced various art supplies and methods. Nan brought homemade lego-shaped crayons to draw pictures of Connor Creative Art Center, while other team members shared how to sew simple dolls, and make fun shapes out of pipe cleaners.
In January, each of the newest Touch A Life kids had created a drawing that would be made into a tile and placed with the rest of the entryway mosaic at the Art Center. The Deals returned to Ghana with the finished tiles and a local mason laid them in place. Every child stood close to find their artwork and proudly admired the finished installation.
When the older children came home from school each day, they were ready to show off their new skills that they learned in the Art Center from Kwame, Touch A Life’s Ghana Art Director. The Deals and their team were greeted with sketchbooks full of drawings and canvases with paintings in progress. They also built vehicles and structures with Lego Technics sets!
Some older boys and girls with an interest in guitar gathered in the Art Center for guitar lessons! Guitars were donated by team members and Connor’s Song, and the Art Center was immediately filled with music. Felix in particular learned several songs in less than a week!
When Nan returned from Ghana, she shared how incredible it was to see how the children’s creativity has grown over the six years since she first visited Ghana, and how excited she is to see that same growth happen with a new generation of Touch A Life kids.
Photos by Evan Bourcier, Stephen Johnson, and Nan Deal.