Alwan wa Awtar (Colours and Strings), an NGO promoting the arts in an underprivileged area in Muqattam, believes in the importance of art and its function in building social, critical and communication skills. The NGO makes it clear that art is not a luxury and should not be limited to the privileged few. Instead art is a necessary part of education that helps shape communities. The NGO offers several music classes in guitar, drums and keyboard, as well as classes in photography. Other activities include painting, arts and crafts, crochet and pottery. Children can visit the library after school, play with puzzles or other games provided. Among activities held at the centre are the Ana El-Hekaya writing workshop, theatre workshops and participation in the Model Arab League at the American University in Cairo (AUC). The project was launched in 2005. Founder Azza Kamel was a volunteer in an NGO called Fathet Kheir, which helped women start their own projects to produce and sell handicrafts. The NGO hosted French volunteers for a ten-day workshop to teach the children of those women arts and crafts. When the workshop proved a success, Kamel talked to the children and discussed with them what they liked about it. She realized that these children had no access to visual and performing arts. After some research on how art can be used as a tool for development, Kamel says she “realized that this was a good way for them to break their cycle of poverty when they come out of age.” Values of the NGO The volunteers at Alwan wa Awtar, or animators, as they're called, take several workshops to learn how to teach art in the context of development. The key to their approach is building the children's characters. One of the organization's core values is respecting differences in others. After the 1992 earthquake, citizens from several different governorates were housed in the Hadaba al Wosta in Muquttam. The various populations living there make for a vast amount of diversity in the community. Another value the group stresses is giving children confidence by allowing them to voice their opinions. Change in the attitudes of the children there have become apparent, says program manager Nermine Mounir. “Their dreams are different now,” says Mounir, “they have more aspirations towards the future.” The centre has become a place for the children's activities and conversation. “The centre provides a safe space for the children to keep them off the streets,” says Mounir, adding that the centre also helps children who suffer from domestic abuse. Alwan wa Awtar also promotes non-formal education. “Here we believe in the function of learning through doing,” says Mounir. “We take them on trips and provide interactive activities that enhance their thought.” Writing workshops One exercise of the Ana el Hekaya (I am the Story) workshop, led by novelist Sahar el Mougy, was adapting the fairytales of Cinderella and Aladdin by putting them in a different contexts or changing their endings. One of the girls wrote a story about Cinderella, who after getting to know the prince, left him due to his superficiality and selfishness. To Cindarella, he was a man seeking only pleasure who was unaware of the poorest people in his community. The children told this story and others in a storytelling night last Ramadan at Makan, a musical venue. “I believe that this workshop was a success,” said Mougy, “it made the children start questioning gender stereotypes.” Theatre The “Theatre of the Oppressed” is a form of theatre born in Brazil in 1971. Its main aim is to promote self-expression and analyze the past in context of the present. Alwan wa Awtar adopted this form and has held several performances, each consisting of several sketches relating to problems affecting the children's including the high cost of private lessons, garbage thrown from windows and the sale of apartments are already owned by others. “The children discuss these problems through comedic, exaggerated sketches,” says Kamel. The children have performed in several venues like Townhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art, Genaina Theater, Darb 1718 and AUC. The theatre project is in collaboration with Nahdet el Mahrousa, a group that offers acting coaches for the children. Among the participants of Alwan wa Awtar, Ahmed Ali, showed a great passion for acting and joined the theatre troupe ‘Hala' (condition). Future projects At first, many parents of the children approached the project with scepticism, perceiving it as a waste of time, but after seeing the change in their children, they have come to welcome the NGO. Alwan wa Awtar is aiming to expand. They have sent volunteers to Stabl Antar Dream, a development project in the poverty stricken areas of Stabl Antar and Ezbet Kheirallah, as well as to a governmental school in the area of Sabteya. Their next step is to transfer their methodology to new places and continue teaching people to use art in social development. The goal is to have communities implement these programs on their own. “We are hoping to make it a franchise,” says Kamel. The NGO's latest project is focused on recycling. “We are trying to connect the community to the environment through different workshops,” Mounir explains. “We are also forming a team of volunteers, who are willing to work on projects to promote recycling.” The centre is open to anyone every day except on Fridays from 12pm till 8.
