Endowoza means Imagination in Lusoga and thats what this place is all about. Sitting on the same site as The Amagezi Education Centre, it is an intrical part of the programmes running there.
The Beginning… December 2004
Nestled in a shady matooke grove in Kyabirwa sit fourteen local youths resting for lunch in the dappled light under a mango tree. Now in the middle of their apprenticeship, the students arrived here two and a half months ago to an empty field. It is with their hands, the community support and the pro-active fund raising of students from the ‘World Class Kayak Academy’ that this initiative, the building of a pottery, has been possible.
In November 2004 Maddy Leslie received over one hundred and fifty applications from young adults of Kyabirwa village. After painstaking hours of reading and re-reading applications she short-listed thirty possible candidates. A very casual interview later, where she discussed their dreams and aspirations, she came away with fourteen of the least privileged. They were girls and boys that could not afford to continue their education, some that could not even afford to sit their P7 exams. The group were desperate to learn a new skill and support a project that would assist their community. The apprenticeship had started.
The “World Class Kayak Academy” a group of young kayakers in secondary education, tour the globe, chasing their dreams on incredible rivers. During the planning stages of their trans-Africa tour they came across “Soft Power Education” and our work along the banks of the Nile. A sponsored paddle later the kayakers arrived in Uganda with US$5,000 to support this new initiative, rolled their trousers up and got ready to get their hands dirty alongside the apprentices.
With the priceless assistance of Ugandan potters, the apprentice’s skills came on in leaps and bounds. The apprenticeship continued until the end of February. The students learned a myriad of life skills from laying foundations to throwing pots, from sourcing clay to tile making. The quality of the work was incredible and they had managed to grasp the breadth of ceramics – an achievement in itself.
What came next?
The production lines opened in October 2005 and 4 Ugandan apprentices ran the centre. Pupils from the twenty local primary schools began coming for daylong workshops offering the children a chance for diverse, extra curricular creative education.
The apprentices then began advancing into other projects and making beautiful wood print posters and cards. Every ‘happiness’ card has been lovingly handmade by the artists of Endowoza Arts Centre.
Each of the stunning wood print picture’s has been designed and crafted by one of the Endowoza artists. It’s how they view happiness - whether it’s spending time with friends, sitting beside a fire or buying a new dress. It is their way of sharing a good feeling and we hope that each card makes you feel the same way. These cards have proved to be incredible popular and we even had an order for 75 of them to be used as wedding invitations!
Progressing to...
The Endowoza Arts Centre is now run by Silagi and Charles. They are also responsible for the implementation of the Art lessons, which form part of the Amagezi Education Centre Schools Programme. Students come to the Arts Centre to learn about colours and how to mix them, leaving each day with their very own charcoal drawings and painted colour wheel showing primary and secondary colours.
In addition to that, Endowoza Arts Centre successfully sells cards, crafts and artwork to tourists and volunteers. Since July 2008, the resident artists have been eagerly learning new skills, therefore enabling us to expand the number of products on sale at the Arts Centre. It is the aim of Endowoza Arts Centre to sell a range of unique Ugandan arts and crafts made only from locally sourced materials
New Arts and Crafts Range
Over the past few months, the Arts Centre has been very productive, both in making new crafts to sell and with Silagi and Ofono learning management tips on how to run a successful business. Newly designed are some stunning new woodprint Happiness Cards in traditional African styles. There is now a range of jewellery including the ever-popular paper beads made right here in Uganda. Delightful ceramic necklaces, individually hand crafted, then fired in a sawdust kiln before being painted and
varnished have also been added to the choice, as have a stunning range of seed bead necklaces and earrings. Beautifully carved wooden animals have also been added to the list of crafts on sale, together with wrought iron geckos and warriors. Banana fibre art has proved to be very popular and is one of our best-selling crafts.
The items at Endowoza have been crafted by Silagi and Ofono, or by an artist who lives within the Kyabirwa or nearby community. The paper bead necklaces are made as part of a vocational training programme at the Special Educational Needs Unit at Walukuba West Primary School.
The centre also now sells, among other things, tie-dyed headscarves, batiks, mobile phone charms, handbags, stuffed fabric animals, hand made paper prints and recycled bags. To see the full range of arts and crafts and to keep in touch with news, join the Endowoza Arts Centre Facebook Group
And now?
Still within the same site of the Amagezi Education Centre, the doors of a newly built Arts Centre shop opened on Monday 16th March 2009. The old art shop was dingy with uneven shelving, poor lighting, plus a huge family of bats had taken up residence in the rafters! To have a properly designed and painted Art Centre with attractive display units has made a massive difference to the look of the Centre. As you can see from the pictures, the shop is light and airy with crafts well presented.
All profits from Endowoza Arts Centre go directly back to Soft Power Education to support their ongoing projects.
Art & Craft Apprenticeship Project
Excitingly, after five long years, we have planned another apprenticeship scheme where local youths aged between 16 and 26 years from Budondo sub-county have been invited to train in various art forms using locally sourced materials. From a recently undertaken survey, it appeared that the community around Kyabirwa were keen to learn new art and crafts. So, how could Soft Power Education refuse?
Starting on 20th April 2009, the first stage ran for a six-week period. Trainers were organised, posters displayed, the LC’s mobilised and many applications were received from an energised community. It appeared that again there were many talented youths eager to learn new skills.
Applicants had to submit a piece of artwork of their choice and the response was incredible – we received pencil drawings, crochet and weaving as examples of people’s talent. Reading through the many applications, the short-listed candidates were interviewed where they discussed their hopes and ambitions and eventually sixteen of the most talented and under-privileged youths were invited to join the apprenticeship.
Under the guidance of Silagi, who was one of the original apprentices way back in 2004, and Ofono, these youths were taught how to make the very popular wood prints, followed by hand-made paper making, moving on to paper maché sculpture before learning screen printing, tie and dye, jewellery making, braiding, sculpting using a cold porcelain clay mix and banana fibre art.
Additionally the apprentices learned how to look with imagination at available resources, much of which are recycled and waste products, turning them into stimulating art pieces. So, as you can envisage, there was huge amount to learn in a relatively short space of time, but the students did amazingly well and it was truly inspiring to see everyone so keen to learn new things.
At the end of the apprenticeship, after certificates were presented to everyone during a very wet and windy afternoon, we held an Arts & Crafts Exhibition in Jinja. To see the pure excitement on the faces as they rolled up to town in a Soft Power truck was just delightful. The exhibition was very successful with many art pieces sold.
So, exciting and creative times lie ahead for the Endowoza Arts Centre. It will certainly be living up to its name – Imagination!
Sewing Circle Project
Soft Power Education also facilitates ongoing community projects. One of these is a Sewing Circle. Ladies from Kyabirwa attend weekly and learn how to make basic clothing and useful items for the home. This gives much needed opportunities to not only empower these ladies, but also to allow them time to socialise with other women in their very busy working day.
Recently, we had a volunteer who came to teach these ladies how to make handbags and wall hangings using beautifully printed Ugandan fabric, this was very successful and we now proudly sell their carefully made handbags and wall hangings.
The ladies have also been contracted to make tablecloths, napkins, and uniforms for local restaurants. A true testament to their ever-growing skills in tailoring.
Later in the year, we are eagerly awaiting another volunteer who will be arriving to show the ladies how to make more items, including a new range of clothing for the Arts Centre.
Continued learning……..
……...stage two for young people living within the Budondo sub-county community to learn. We have planned a further apprenticeship project later in the year – this time in pottery. Watch this space!
Volunteering Opportunities
If you have a talent or passion for arts and crafts, or enjoy sewing and needlework, we are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to come and spend time at Endowoza Arts Centre. Email volunteering@softpowereducation.com for further information on the projects currently being implemented at the Endowoza Arts Centre.