German Federal Minister Of Economic Cooperation & Development Visits The Art Centre Plot.
On August 16th 2019, Gerd Müller, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, visited our project in Kibera. Accompanied by his wife and a small delegation he was received by 300 students from our One Fine Day art classes, who presented their skills in music, art, ballet, acrobatics and dance. During a walk in Kibera, we were able to give the Federal Minister an insight into the special living conditions of the children, and finally visited our newly acquired property, on which we are building our ARTS CENTER to secure Anno’s One Fine Day a lasting future in Kibera.
The Minister was very impressed by our project the committmend of our engagement which for the past 11 years had made a lasting positive difference to the difficult living conditions of children in the largest slum in East Africa.
We thank you for the special visit.
The AOFD Art Centre
Over 1,500 children and adolescents participate in our creative workshops every week. Since 2008, we have been arranging classes in work spaces of partner schools in Mathare and Kibera. To maintain and secure the efficiency and sustainability of our future work, we have acquired a piece of land in Kibera. Our goal is to set up the ANNO’S ONE FINE DAY ARTS CENTRE as a permanent location for our projects.
The creation of the CBO ANNO’S ONE FINE DAY enables the empowerment of our Kenyan team by increasing their autonomy and independence to facilitate their standing on their own.
Social Impact / Location
All art classes at the new ARTS CENTRE will take place on a daily basis. The kids can visit the location easily as it is located in their midst. The children from the various artistic disciplines will perform frequent showcases for the benefit of their relatives, friends and the community at large to see and realise the impact of this program and to experience the importance of art. The ARTS CENTRE is located in one of the more secure areas of Kibera, next to school grounds and brick houses. We want to provide a safe, secure environment for the children where they will feel protected yet free.
Educational Impact
With the establishment of the ARTS CENTRE, we will improve our teaching conditions profoundly.
The children will benefit on academic, psychological and social levels. The primary and secondary schools which the Anno’s One Fine Day children go to have noted substantial improvements in the examination results of the One Fine Day and Anno’s Africa children. Teachers and relatives have found that the children’s’ growing self esteem, confidence and general happiness has had a positive impact on their lives. Furthermore we will offer advanced courses for older students during the weekends. Until the ARTS CENTRE is completed, the classes continue to take place in the provisory spaces of our partner schools in Kibera Slum.
Sustainability
Since 2006, the projects of Anno’s Africa and One Fine Day have been independently financed through private donations, small grants and fundraising events (e.g. concerts, art auctions etc). In 2019 we became an official partner to U.N.I.C.E.F. Kenya. We are in the process of establishing many more partnerships, locally or internationally with whom we can sustainably lead the ARTS CENTRE into the future.
Our philosophy is to keep bureaucracy a minimum, thus avoiding substantial overheads and allowing us to
use most of our funds on the projects themselves.
With the ARTS CENTRE we hope to establish a model that will prove to be sustainable and effective.
We aim to have a profound influence on the children’s lives, both now and in their social and professional
futures.
Above is the arts centre ground with the old house.
Here you can see the Arts Center property with the old building.
During the Corona Lockdown in Nairobi, the of Anno's One Fine Day Team helped to renovate the property so that small classes can take place on regular bases until we are ready to build our Arts Centre.
The ownership of the ground in Kibera has given our projects a stable base during these difficult times and enabled us to maintain the contact with many children with in our progam.
