Art for 3200 schoolgirls in Pakistan

As winter's chill embraces us, it's time to reflect on the artistic endeavors and triumphs of our students. Just as the summer sun painted dreams and possibilities, the fall and winter months brought a new set of opportunities, met with enthusiasm by our dedicated students.

Teachers meticulously planned class activities, which were eagerly embraced by our students – for Grades 1, 2, and 3, the focus was on understanding the color wheel, basic lines, and patterns, while Grade 4 and 5 students explored overlapping, pointillism, reflection, newspaper collage, and typography. Grade 6 delved into the world of renowned artist Romero Britto, learning about his distinctive style. They also explored surrealism, worked on melting clocks, expressed their concern for marine life through art, and honed their hand-building techniques with lantern-making in clay pottery.

Meanwhile, our Grade 7 students engaged in a variety of activities, from crafting cake slices with clay to exploring thumbprint art. Grade 8 ventured into still-life drawings, impressionism, and Yayoi Kusama-inspired art. In Grade 9, students worked on circular portraits, geometric animal sculptures, and geometric perspective drawings, while Grade 10 explored memory mix media, wirework, woolen art on chicken net, and emotion art. 

In late August, Zindagi Trust partnered with House of Pebbles to organize the "Wellness Wonderland" mental health camp at Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government Girls School. This initiative helped Grade 6, 7, and 8 students explore self-care, mindfulness, and connection through diverse artistic expressions, fostering their mental well-being.

The initial part of the STEAM Pakistan collaboration also wrapped up in August. The Head of Art at Zindagi Trust curated ten art lessons accompanied by instructional videos These resources, set to be published on the organization's website, aim to assist teachers in a thousand schools across Pakistan.

In November, our students enthusiastically took part in the Pakistan Learning Festival 2023 at the Arts Council. Designed for school children, this event highlighted the significance of learning and socializing and provided a platform for our students from Khatoon-e-Pakistan and SMB Fatima Jinnah School to showcase their passion for knowledge through engaging in creative artistic activities, turning education into an unforgettable adventure.

On November 17, Zindagi Trust, in collaboration with Aahung, organized an open house event at Khatoon-e-Pakistan Girls School to raise awareness about our LSBE program. Visitors showed keen interest in the program and actively participated in engaging art activities, such as throw printing, during the event alongside the students. Additionally, students also contributed to fundraising efforts, with three of their artworks being successfully sold during the silent auction.

On November 20, Child Protection Services, a wing of Aga Khan University Hospital, in collaboration with Off The Beaten Track (OTBT), organized the first Art and Photography Competition in December for both school and university students, revolving around the theme “Protecting the Freedom of Childhood.”

Breaking out their artistic vibes, 81 students from SMB Fatima Jinnah School participated in the competition. The results were announced on 1st December 2023, and four of our students secured second, third, and honorary positions. The students also had the opportunity to meet Syra Yousuf during the closing ceremony of the competition. The smiles on their faces captured the essence of a moment filled with pride, creativity, and the celebration of the freedom of childhood.

SMB Fatima Jinnah School also emerged as the premier institution in Karachi, conquering nine challenging levels in the competitions organized by STEAM and the Sindh Education and Literacy Department (SELD). 

Additionally, with our commitment to holistic education, the Head of Art at Zindagi Trust worked closely with the National Curriculum Council (NCC) to finalize the Art Curriculum and developed a progression grid for inclusion in the Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training. With our sights set on our long-term goal, Zindagi Trust is on the verge of implementing the Art Curriculum, tailored for Grades 1-8, across all government schools in Pakistan.

A Digital Arts course is also in the works. This course, designed to introduce students to industry-standard software and equipment for digital drawing and design, aims to enhance their skills and creativity. The Digital Arts Lab is currently under development at SMB Fatima Jinnah, with the program set to launch in the upcoming term.

Now, as winter unfolds, the passion and dedication of our students continue to paint a tapestry of creativity. We eagerly anticipate the forthcoming season, brimming with the promise of growth and artistic exploration at the Zindagi Trust Schools.

As the holiday season approaches, the students anticipate a well-deserved break. Looking ahead to the coming year, we eagerly await the continued artistic exploration at the Zindagi Trust Schools. In addition to ongoing endeavors, we are excited to share that plans for our annual art festival in March 2024 are already underway.

May the upcoming season be filled with joy, creativity, and the spirit of community that defines the essence of our educational journey. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support and look forward to sharing more inspiring stories in the days to come. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year.

With the onset of spring, a new wave of inspiration swept throughout the school and especially our art program for girls. The month of April brought a temporary pause in regular classes due to the government mandated census duty. Despite the teacher’s leave of absence, the teachers and the students have ensured that the spirit of learning persists. Student motivation was unmatched as they used their free periods to self-practice and diligently complete their assigned tasks.

Students also participated in a competition integrating art with social issues. On the 27th April, 30 students from grades 6, 7, and 8 participated in a recycling competition. The competition was held by Lincoln’s Corner which is a partnership between the Embassy of the United States of America and select institutions in Pakistan. Eight of our students also won the competition, a testament to their commitment to sustainability. All students came back cheerful and reinvigorated with their learnings. The teachers observed that many of them integrated their learnings in subsequent classes.

Creativity also shined through a K-Electric organized art activity: Khel Kod aur Khayaal. K-Electric, Karachi’s electricity provider created a general safety book in extension to which they conducted various activities merging safety measures with art. This made the event a fun and interesting undertaking. Students artistically expressed themselves, developed the existing stories further and explored their world of imagination.

The Dynamic Festival conducted by Dynamic Trainings Systems, a fitness gym in Karachi, provided an opportunity for the students to showcase their artistic prowess. From clay work, to pop art portraits, symmetrical portraits, zen tangle art, split portraits, comic art etc. The various products included handmade jewelry, soap trays, paintings, tote bags, notebooks, badges and candle glasses. The proceedings from this entrepreneurial adventure went to our young artists. Some of our students were also present to showcase their skills and interact with people who enjoyed art. Students also conducted various interactive activities like live pot painting, Mandela art and coloring etc.

Over these past few months, our students have also eagerly embraced the opportunity to showcase their hard work and dedication during their exams. The promise of the upcoming summer break was a motivating factor for them to give their best, paving the way for a well-deserved vacation. During their exams the student’s curated excellent artistic works bring their yearlong hard work to fruition.

Keeping up with yearly traditions, the onset of summer break bought the much awaited summer camp. The school came alive with the joy of students engaging in a variety of captivating activities. The summer camp provides students a week filled with exciting art forms that they would not have been able to attempt in their day to day classes.

The artistry of our students was on full display during the weeklong summer camp. Students embraced new experiences, delving into the world of origami, art, and craft, and even experimenting with clay sculptures. The camp became a hub of exploration and learning. This experience fostered holistic growth and left them with cherished memories.

During the summer camp, our art teachers orchestrated an array of engaging activities, including pottery, henna, leaf painting, wire art and tie and dye among others. All these activities allowed students to apply the theory they had learned in classes to practice. It also gave them the opportunity to explore new art forms. With no grading and the freedom to experiment all they could, students also enjoyed modern calligraphy art classes by the professional trainer bought in.

House of Pebbles, an organization committed to mental health, conducted sessions with students from classes 3 to 8 during the summer camp. They seamlessly incorporated stress busting activities with children while also tapping into student’s art interests. They conducted activities like ‘Art through Straws’ and ‘Paint your Emotions’ to engage the students further.

Students were refreshed after their weeklong arts and crafts activities. A student after the summer camp said “In this camp, we took part in many classes like mehndi/henna, sports, art and self-grooming, which were really useful. Art and mehndi/henna were among my favorites. I was enthralled by this camp.”

The art program for girls continues to be a story of passion and transformation. Our students surprise us with their artistic pursuits and quickly adapt to the new techniques taught in class. Our young artists believe in beautifying the world with their perspectives. Your support remains the cornerstone of our efforts and students' joy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering belief in our mission.

With the summer sun painting new dreams and possibilities, we eagerly anticipate the forthcoming school year. It is bound to be another year of growth and artistic exploration at the Zindagi Trust Schools. We cannot wait to come back with our student’s achievements with our next report!