“Creating Portraits for a Kinder World”

 

About Memory Project:

Memory Project is a non-profit organization that invites art students and their teachers to create portraits for youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges such as neglect, loss of parents, poverty, abuse or war. Every child who receives a portrait has a different story. Some live in refugee camps, in orphanages having lost their families, or in care homes. The one thing that all these children have in common is that they are overcoming severe challenges, and they all inspire us with their courage, and resilience.

Creating these portraits are a small way of letting these children know that they are loved and valued; to let them know that people care about their well-being. It is to show our support and honor their strength. These portraits are meant to provide as positive and special “memories” for the children in their future. Since 2004, Memory Project has engaged in creating more than 130,000 portraits for children in 47 countries around the world. Building international friendship and solidarity through art are also aims of the Memory Project.

 

How they operate:

Memory Project receives photos of children and teens from global charities operating in residential homes, schools, orphanages, and care-centers in a number of different countries each year.

The Memory Project organization provides us with full-page color prints as well as digital copies of the photos of these children, along with plastic sleeves to protect the finished portraits.

The art teachers or leaders then work with their students to create the portraits, and the Memory Project’s staff members hand-deliver them to their recipients.

 

Our Contribution:

This year, a group of nine students as a part of Art for a Cause at my school, are collaborating with a children’s orphanage in Colombia. We are sending a series of 10 portraits as Christmas gifts.

The attached portrait in acrylic is one that I created for a young girl from the orphanage. Attached also is a letter from the organizer Rose to the group, and a certificate of appreciation from the organization.

We are all very grateful for this opportunity, and appreciative of the Memory Project’s initiative. We hope to work together to create portraits for Memory Project once again next year.

Here’s a link to Memory Project’s website if you are interested in reading further about the organization, or in contributing to the cause: https://www.memoryproject.org/