Fun-filled trip to Tantyi School

7 October 2009

Today the design kids headed down to Tantyi Primary school to get the school kids involved in helping our group to create a banner. This banner is one of the initiatives to help create awareness of violence in the area, and also to try and encourage community members to create a positive and brighter future for their children.

Before we set off to the school, we grabbed some crayons and paper for the kids to draw on. Upon arriving at Tantyi School, we were greeted with big smiles and friendly faces. We went to the staff room to ask permission from the teachers to engage with the kids, and this was also received with friendly faces and agreement.

As soon as the kids saw the crayons and paper, a huge group stormed and bombarded us with open palms and screams of joy. One could almost say that Bree, Zelda and Kate experienced what it would be like to be famous and have everyone just wanting to touch you and be close to you, whilst screaming and going mad. To spark this "positive future" initiative, we asked the kids to draw what was important for them in their community and what things they would like to have in their future. It was very interesting to see how urbanised these children were as so many of them drew cars, houses and being gangsters. We even saw a little five year old draw a convertible!! It makes one so baffled as to how these kids saw their world, because for some of us urban kids, we didn't even know what a convertible was until we were thirteen perhaps. There were a few drawings that had trees and flowers, and some drew helicopters and other drew being grown men. Whilst all of this was happening, some kids were so intrigued by us three design kids that they started playing with our hair and held us around our waists as though we were our friends. They were very affectionate and loving towards us. We asked them to dance for us and we interacted with them by clapping our hands and singing and having them joyously join in with smiles and laughter.

When they all finished their drawings, they handed back the paper and crayons. As we left, the whole big group greeted us with smiles and thumb presses. Some even opened the gate for us. Although we did not have any footage or photos of this, it was an amazing experience!