OUR PERSPECTIVES
Why is creativity and safety for girls critical to the recovery and development of an entire community?
Read Christina and Melanie’s journal article, Creative safe spaces for girls as a vital strategy for recovery and development: an analysis of the Musichana Hamuka (Girl Awakening) program in the DRC, where they uncover these important linkages through evidence from the ground in Eastern Congo.
Published in August 2025 in Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, Volume 20, Issue 3.
Our work is showcased as a vivid example of community art education as a catalyst for social change in Community Arts Education: Transversal Global Perspectives. Through participatory public art projects in conflict-affected communities, it illustrates how collaborative practices—like mural-making—foster healing, amplify marginalized voices, and build agency. Grounded in a transversal approach, the chapter reimagines art education as a relational, community-driven process that transforms both individuals and the social narratives they inhabit.
Chapter 21. Colors of Connection: Public Art Making as an Activating Force From Community Art Education (p 255-265)
Our Newsletters
Our quarterly newsletters offer a behind-the-scenes look at our work, sharing grounded stories and updates from the field alongside and glimpses into our day-to-day.
All you need to start your own community Mural!
Don’t take our word for it, here’s what our participants say:
“This project gives us hope because we say that everything that the children have drawn is like a dream that can become a reality tomorrow.”
Fati Wallet Mohamed Elmoctar, Committee of Women, Mentao Refugee Camp, Burkina Faso
Resources for Practioners
Innovative and easily replicable creative activities for youth. Designed for low-resource environments, activities include drawing, theater, music, dance, and more.
What was said about us in the news:
The Real Play City Challenge 2022: Local communities, global challenges
The winners of the 2022 Real Play City Challenge were revealed on 18 November by the Real Play Coalition
How Funders Can Use the Power of Art to Heal in Post-Conflict Settings
From our experience working in war torn towns in Liberia and refugee camps in Burkina Faso, we have seen
Prioritizing Mental Health for Adolescent Girls
The difficult circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic have led to increased attention on mental health.
Read our collection of blog articles
Christina’s articles on Medium
The Creativity and Social Change Advocacy Connection
Our blog posts
Why Addressing Trauma Has to Be the First Step
A Model for the Future Lies in DRC: Invest in Girls and Women