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History
In the fall of 2002, Sarah Beck began volunteer teaching displaced and disadvantaged youth at Thao Dan, a refuge for street children in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She became concerned over her students’ verbal and physical aggression and believed they needed an opportunity to express themselves quietly, privately and non-violently.
Stocking the classroom with paints, brushes, paper and easels, Sarah invited the children to come and paint the colors of their past pains and future dreams. Soon after, Sarah realized that the art therapy program had potential to function as a means of fundraising, not only for the boys of Thao Dan, but also for other groups of disadvantaged and disabled youth in Ho Chi Minh City.
With the help of fellow volunteer Phuong Nguyen, Sarah contacted local proprietors and convinced them to exhibit and sell the children’s art in their restaurants, cafes, and galleries. Thus, Armed with a Paintbrush was born.
Current Work
- Continue to empower disadvantaged and disabled youth through art by maintaining volunteer-taught painting classes both in public parks and at other facilities provided by organizations specializing in youth services
- Maintain our current organizational structure, in which all donations go toward providing disadvantaged, disabled and HIV/AIDS affected youth with the academic and vocational tools needed to become contributing members of the community
- Continue sponsorship program that actively contributes to funding the education and healthcare for approximately 30 disadvantaged and disabled youth
- Maintain partnerships with university-level study abroad programs to provide their students with volunteer opportunities
- Maintain partnerships with specialized travel agencies to organize socially-sustainable tours in which travellers paint and interact with youth supported by AWAP
- Expand the scope of our education and fund-raising efforts by increasing our donor base and recruiting bright new volunteers
- Make our artists’ paintings available to an international audience via www.armedwithapaintbrush.org
Next Steps: Goals for 2009-2010
- Secure donations/ sponsorships from multi-national corporations working in Ho Chi Minh City
- Raise funds in private donations and grants in order to re-open an Armed with a Paintbrush gallery in Ho Chi Minh City where our organizational activities will be held and our artists’ work will be on display to visitors and potential donors
- Provide hands-on job-training for at least 2 more disadvantaged and/or disabled young adults as they work as salespeople in the Armed with a Paintbrush gallery, where they are paid an average Vietnamese salary in addition to academic and vocational scholarship opportunities
- Expand our programs so that we can provide more disadvantaged and disabled youth with the opportunity to attend academic or vocational programs
- Continue to raise funds to further Armed with a Paintbrush's development so that 100% of donations go toward educating and caring for our artists
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