Being away from home, sometimes brings emptiness to us, it will always feel like a part of us is left behind but strength often breathes again, when we realize or know when the gates will be opened to lead us home again.

For the kids at Orthopedic hospital, Igbobi (NOHI), a hospital that cares for ailments ranging from bone infection, burns, fractures and spinal injuries,every second could be a torture, everyday spent could be a nightmare for the kids but who says great memories and self-discoveries cannot happen within the walls of a hospital. Hence, the project “ Colors of my bones” ,We might not have been able to successfully take out their pain but we can make it more bearable, enjoyable and more colours to the grey they see through visual arts and music.

PROJECT FACILITATORS

Ifedola Isimeme olojo
Aderonke Tayo-Tiwo
Oluwayemi Owagbemi
Oluseyi Ajayi
Opeyemi Ige
Olatunde Aleilo
Adenike Oladejo
Omolola Oluwadara
Rasheedat Yusuf

With artists, cultural producers, and young people from:

The Holburne Museum and Creativity Works (Bath & North East Somerset)

creativeShift and John Wesley’s New Room (Bristol)

Super Culture (Weston-super-Mare)

The Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance

Expanded Summary:

This project was executed on the 21st of April at National Orthopedic hospital, Igbobi, Lagos and lasted for 150 minutes at the pediatric ward (within the age range of 5-13 years old)

PRE-ACTIVITY: Kids were engaged prior to the event to get a list of their favorites songs, get acquainted with the environment before the event and also get to know the rules or guidelines for engagement from the hospital team

ACTIVITY: The project adopted visual arts and music as the artistic medium for engagement. Upon arrival, a team introduction was made, painting materials like a bare “Painting by Numbers ( where images are fractured into numbers to instruct coloring patterns) and coloring materials were given to the kids, while painting , kids interacted with the musical guest artiste, by singing along to their favorite songs. The kids responded via dancing and actively coloring, being bandaged, or limited to the bed was not a challenge as the compere of the event ensured that all dance steps could be easily mirrored by the kids. Dancing competitions were held between kids, parents and hospital personnels. Upon completion, the paintings were hanged on the wall beside the kids, this added to the aesthetic quality of the room. The team closed out with the song, “I go always pray for you by Nosa” which evidently got some parents and workers quite emotional.

POST ACTIVITY: Interviews were conducted with selected parents who expressed the need for such artistic activities to be infused in general as it had a positive impact to the kids and environment.

The aim of the project was to offer creative activities for young people aged 16-25, that supported their wellbeing and helped them develop and use skills for cultural volunteering in a variety of cultural institutions and community settings. The project was structured as a two-phase process:

GOALS:

• To develop social connection between the kids, parents and hospital official

• To distract the kids from their discomfort

• To aid kids in self expressions through artistic activities like painting, dancing , singing etc

The Unexpected:

One of the highlights of the event for me, were the kids with cerebral palsy who couldn’t partake in the painting exercise but were intensively engaged more with music, they responded cheerfully by hopping on their beds , for another all he could do was roll his hands and this made me realize that , each person had a unique way of expressing happiness, there’s absolutely no rule to its expressions, no one way to its outbursts, it will always find its way , every through bandages.

The Key learning for me is, Fun and happiness can be birthed even in the most chaotic spaces, we just have to create a platform for it to come alive.

— Kunle
OUTCOME:

Made the Pediatric ward more aesthetically appealing, provoked the thinking of medical practitioners on how effective art is to well- being and how it can be generally adopted to medicine practice.

RESOURCES

Please see video highlights of the events:

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