Art Aid Nepal was started after the devastating Gorkha Earthquake that shook Nepal in 2015. It brought together artists from all around the world who wanted to volunteer and help those affected by the disaster. They worked together on an anthology book called HOME, which was then published to raise funds for the initial project. Its initiative was to encourage creativity and provide a form of healing for children through art.
In 2016, the first phase of the project was conducted by the Children Art Museum in Chuchepati. The second phase of the project was conducted by #MakerKT as a series of workshops in four schools around Kathmandu Valley in 2017. The objective of the workshops was to encourage tool-use among young girls and create healing by making. The students made a “home” out of a wood cabinet and a lampshade and, in the process, learnt the basics of woodwork, painting, circuitry and paper art.
Art Aid Nepal is now a non-profit project within #MakerKT. After the successful completion of its original objective, we want to continue to provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) driven art workshops in public schools. This is why, after successfully conducting 10 hours of workshops in each five public schools in 2017, we want to expand and conduct 50 hours of workshops in 10 public schools each in 2019 in our new Art Aid Nepal project “Fifty-For-Ten”.
The Fifty-For-Ten Project will cater regularly to 10 public schools around Kathmandu Valley. The workshops will support the school syllabus and help students understand and enjoy their courses more. Unlike the previous project, the workshops will be offered to both boys and girls and topics will range from STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) and environmental projects to vocational training and geography/social studies.