Meet Qiniso. He is 12 years old and just finished his 3rd year with Thanda.

For many kids in the world, school vacations are the most anticipated weeks of the year, where they don’t have to go to school and can play all day. For the kids in Thanda, it is a different story.

Usually during school holidays Qiniso helps with chores. When asked how he feels about holiday time Qiniso said, “I was not feeling good because I had to stay at home all the time and there was no place to go to have fun”.

This year, for the first time, he was able to experience something new during his time off from school. In July, Qiniso attended our week long Holiday Arts camp. He had never been taught art before. Since attending the Holiday Arts Camp and making use of our Art centre on the weekends and after school, Qiniso feels happy to do art activities and is confident in his abilities. “I enjoy doing art and I know quite a bit about art”.

Multiple studies have shown that art education improves a child’s confidence, which then has ripple effects in other areas. Since July, Qiniso’s self-esteem has improved 43% over baseline.

“To make a very good art piece you have to visualize it, be patient when doing it” – Qiniso

When asked again how he felt about school holidays he said “I had a great experience because I spent most of my days at Thanda playing skateboards and doing art”.

Our art centre provides a space everyday for kids to come and experiment, be messy, and be creative. This plays an essential role in building their confidence, self esteem and creative thinking skills. To make a contribution to help us continue to offer Holiday Arts Camps and keep our Art Centre open, please click here.