Wasuze otya nno (Good day),

Support the We Are Home Free team and help us raise money to provide the children of Masaka, Uganda an opportunity to take part of the Boda Boda Camp. The Boda Boda Camp is an initiative that fosters resilience and pride through the performing arts and culture among youth. Youths from the ages 12 to 15 years old, can participate in the camp.

In Uganda, 50,000 kids are growing up in orphanages , although nearly all have families. Poverty and other hardships frequently lead to the abandonment of children by their families. Physical and mental abuse as well as toxicomania also lead to the need for fostering. Home Free works to keep healthy families together or to find healthy foster homes.

Traumatic experiences deeply impact children’s comprehensive development: “A traumatic event is a frightening, dangerous, or violent event that poses a threat to a child’s life or bodily integrity. Witnessing a traumatic event that threatens life or physical security of a loved one can also be traumatic.” (The National Child Traumatic Network)

The Boda Boda Camp helps reunite fostered children with their siblings by providing a safe space for them to connect and spend time together.

The performing arts therapy program benefits children toward healing. “Art-based approaches to healing foster non-verbal modes of communication to express emotional difficulties and diverse life-world experiences in ways that spoken language cannot.” (Concordia University)

Performing arts therapy paired with a trauma informed approach provides a safe place for the children to express themselves in a healthy manner and further develop socialization, communication, and self-regulation skills. The Boda Boda Camp team works toward healing by:

• Providing a safe and positive
• Anticipating challenges and providing additional emotional support and
• Create activities with objectives that considers the effects of trauma on children. In August 2019, Home Free collaborated with the Kasaari School’s children (Kabaale

Bugonzi) and adapted “Kintu and Nambi”, a traditional legend in Luganda language with

Ugandan music and dance. During the Camp, the children learned performing arts, dance and presentation skills that promoted confidence, pride, passion, and resilience within them.

The Boda Boda Camp delivers a five-day intensive program for 75 kids

across Kabaale Bugonzi, in collaboration with Home Free. The program reaches Tower, Kasaali, Namwanzi, Bugonzi and Faith School’s in Uganda!

Professional artists, performers and social workers from Canada and Uganda will lead the Boda Boda Camp to celebrate culture, language, and identity!

Weebale nnyo (many thanks) for your help! The Boda Boda Camp Team

*Home Free , is an NGO which helps families to thrive together in a sustainable and healthy community. See: Child Sponsorship Appeal: Isaac & Elijah .

LINKS

Go Fund Me Campaign

Child’s I Foundation

ART’S THERAPY

Concordia University – Art Therapy, Creative Arts Therapies (MA)

Creative Arts Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy

Playing with identities, transforming shared realities: School theatre workshop for immigrant and refugee adolescents

The use of theatre as promoter of change in social skills

TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators

Dynamic Mindfulness

Trauma types

What is a traumatic event?

Founded by Comedian and Author, Arlen “GRIFF” Griffin, Process Success Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring youth and especially boys to emerge as strong leaders in their communities through mentoring, open and honest dialogue and exposure to the endless possibilities available through the power of positive thinking.