Thanks to an artist thousands of miles away in West Michigan, many children in Ethiopia are getting an education.
Stephanie Schlatter is an avid traveler and an artist. She makes annual visits to Ethiopia to share her talent with the young children across the country. Her passion for the developing world has transformed into a mission: Art Aid for Tesfa.
In December, she will visit the capital city of Addis Ababa and several tribal schools for the sixth time. There, she will not only meet the students she helps support with funds from Art Aid for Tesfa, but she will also provide art education.
“Tesfa has opened eight schools in eight years, and the goal is to turn them back over to the community,” explains Schlatter. “During my visits, I work with four-, five- and 6-year olds.”
Each trip is different, but she is always working in the Tesfa schools.
“My first year I had to teach the children that there was more paper. They only wanted to use a corner of it and save it,” recalls Schlatter. “The kids find freedom in the art. It changes their lives.”
The organization has an upcoming event in which you can be a participant. The wine and art auction takes place on Friday, Nov. 18 at 555 Plymouth Ave. It's a wonderful opportunity to hear Schlatter's heartwarming story and see through film a behind-the-scenes look at Ethiopia and its culture, while meeting the amazing children who benefit from this enormous generosity.
Help Art Aid for Tesfa. Put the good back in do-gooder… here’s how:
• Attend the upcoming
event• Learn
more about the organization
Source: Stephanie Schlatter, Art Aid for Tesfa; Melissa Timmer, Art Aid for Tesfa
Writer: Jennifer Wilson, Do Good Editor
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