Everyone has a right to peaceful coexistence, the
basic personal freedoms, the alleviation of suffering,
and the opportunity to lead a productive life...
- Jimmy Carter
basic personal freedoms, the alleviation of suffering,
and the opportunity to lead a productive life...
- Jimmy Carter
While waiting for VESCAOL members to arrive at their office, we saw the two guys that we met earlier in
the week who work at the Juglaa Art School. One, Brocks, is a former child soldier. The other,
Brumskine, calls himself "The Zebra Artist". They gave us a tour of the school. The school has three
classes, beginner, primary, and junior. However, they are only able to rent two rooms of the three room
schoolhouse, and so they have just a beginner class and a junior class.
When I entered the classroom, all the kids stood up and sang me a welcome song... "Hello Stranger,
how are you..." It is an extra-curricular class, and it is free to the kids who attend. They have classes on
Friday evenings and all day Saturdays. They are able to function solely off of donations. Unlike children
in the United States, these refugee children do not have the opportunity to cultivate the arts or express
themselves artistically. Each child had a scrap of paper about the size of my hand to draw on. Some
were sharing. Each row of kids was sharing a drawing pencil.
One student came up to me and asked if I would buy some water. At first I didn't understand. I thought
that perhaps he or his family sold water, and he was asking me to buy a packet from him. I asked him
how much. He told me that it would cost 7,000 cedis. This is equivalent to about 70 cents. Normally a
packet of water costs about 4 cents, and Brumskine informed me that this would be water for the entire
school. The kids had NO water. I gave him the money and a few minutes later he returned with two bags
full of water packets, each over half his size. For 70 cents, each child in that school received water.
There was even some left over. Over 100 kids were able to have water that day. Can you believe it?
Allison left me some supplies to give the art school, and the guys asked me if I would take a list of their
most needed supplies. I said I would. I will post it at the end of this blog.
At the end of my time there, one of the children gave me a drawing he had made of an African village. He
and his teachers apologized profusely because it was not in color. I want so badly to help. I mean, even
if everyone who read this blog just donated $2 worth of crayons, think what a difference it would make to
those kids! Chris (my wonderful artistic brother) and I used to draw all the time when we were little -
therapeutically as well as to work our skill and imagination. This is something that these kids have
completely missed out on. I can appreciate that the adults at the camp at some point chose to become
refugees over various other alternatives, however, most of these kids were born at the camp. They never
had a choice. This is their life. I can't even tell you how many kids I see shoveling dirt so that they can
play with it, as it is their only plaything. It is so sad.
I know that Caleb and I are trying to do as much as we can for them. He is putting together a care
package, and I am purchasing some of the bulkier/non-shipable items here.
The school is trying desperately to provide some kind of release for these kids. The guys know that
because of the war, Liberian artistic culture was severely disrupted. A whole generation of kids will have
missed out on one of the most simple diversions of children around the world. Even a coloring book
would help. They are in such need of supplies.
The List of Supplies
Where to Send it:
Juglaa Art School
c/o Artemy Izmestiev
United Nations Development Programme
P.O. Box 1423 Accra, Ghana
The most affordable shipping options are through the United States Postal Service. Using the Priority
Mail Flat Rate Box (11" X 8.5" X 5.5" or 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" x 13-5/8") items will arrive in 7-10 days for only
$37.00 USD.
If you have something smaller to send, like just a couple packs of crayons or some coloring books, you
can send it to Artemy's New York address, and they will send it to him (save on postage).
Artemy Izmestiev
United Nations Development Programme
304 45th St. E room 633a
New York, NY 10017
The Director of the art school is Mr. Brumskine Harris, he can be reached at the following email
addresses: brumskine2006@yahoo.com or juglaa2020@yahoo.com.
Children are our Future
the week who work at the Juglaa Art School. One, Brocks, is a former child soldier. The other,
Brumskine, calls himself "The Zebra Artist". They gave us a tour of the school. The school has three
classes, beginner, primary, and junior. However, they are only able to rent two rooms of the three room
schoolhouse, and so they have just a beginner class and a junior class.
When I entered the classroom, all the kids stood up and sang me a welcome song... "Hello Stranger,
how are you..." It is an extra-curricular class, and it is free to the kids who attend. They have classes on
Friday evenings and all day Saturdays. They are able to function solely off of donations. Unlike children
in the United States, these refugee children do not have the opportunity to cultivate the arts or express
themselves artistically. Each child had a scrap of paper about the size of my hand to draw on. Some
were sharing. Each row of kids was sharing a drawing pencil.
One student came up to me and asked if I would buy some water. At first I didn't understand. I thought
that perhaps he or his family sold water, and he was asking me to buy a packet from him. I asked him
how much. He told me that it would cost 7,000 cedis. This is equivalent to about 70 cents. Normally a
packet of water costs about 4 cents, and Brumskine informed me that this would be water for the entire
school. The kids had NO water. I gave him the money and a few minutes later he returned with two bags
full of water packets, each over half his size. For 70 cents, each child in that school received water.
There was even some left over. Over 100 kids were able to have water that day. Can you believe it?
Allison left me some supplies to give the art school, and the guys asked me if I would take a list of their
most needed supplies. I said I would. I will post it at the end of this blog.
At the end of my time there, one of the children gave me a drawing he had made of an African village. He
and his teachers apologized profusely because it was not in color. I want so badly to help. I mean, even
if everyone who read this blog just donated $2 worth of crayons, think what a difference it would make to
those kids! Chris (my wonderful artistic brother) and I used to draw all the time when we were little -
therapeutically as well as to work our skill and imagination. This is something that these kids have
completely missed out on. I can appreciate that the adults at the camp at some point chose to become
refugees over various other alternatives, however, most of these kids were born at the camp. They never
had a choice. This is their life. I can't even tell you how many kids I see shoveling dirt so that they can
play with it, as it is their only plaything. It is so sad.
I know that Caleb and I are trying to do as much as we can for them. He is putting together a care
package, and I am purchasing some of the bulkier/non-shipable items here.
The school is trying desperately to provide some kind of release for these kids. The guys know that
because of the war, Liberian artistic culture was severely disrupted. A whole generation of kids will have
missed out on one of the most simple diversions of children around the world. Even a coloring book
would help. They are in such need of supplies.
The List of Supplies
- Rulers
- Drawing Pencils
- Drawing Boards
- Reams of Lineless White Paper
- Erasers
- Poster Sheets
- Yardsticks
- Coloring Pencils
- Crayons
- Masking Tape
- Stencil Cutter & Blades (Utility Knifes)
- Sketch Pads
- Coloring Books
- Watercolors
- Artist Brush Sets
- Canvas
- Oil Paint (red, blue, yellow, black, and white)
- Mathematical Sets (I don't know what this is, perhaps our artist friends can inform us)
- Adhesive Glue
- Paper Glue
- Marker Sets
Where to Send it:
Juglaa Art School
c/o Artemy Izmestiev
United Nations Development Programme
P.O. Box 1423 Accra, Ghana
The most affordable shipping options are through the United States Postal Service. Using the Priority
Mail Flat Rate Box (11" X 8.5" X 5.5" or 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" x 13-5/8") items will arrive in 7-10 days for only
$37.00 USD.
If you have something smaller to send, like just a couple packs of crayons or some coloring books, you
can send it to Artemy's New York address, and they will send it to him (save on postage).
Artemy Izmestiev
United Nations Development Programme
304 45th St. E room 633a
New York, NY 10017
The Director of the art school is Mr. Brumskine Harris, he can be reached at the following email
addresses: brumskine2006@yahoo.com or juglaa2020@yahoo.com.
Children are our Future
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| The Juglaa Art School at Buduburam |
| Penelope Bissett Research, News, and Information |
