By Elena Sanvincenti, Year 12
Helping Hands is a non profit organization working in Senegal to improve people’s lives by advocating for children, adults and families facing educational and economical challenges across the country. The admirable objective of this non-governmental organisation (NGO) is to improve the quality of education to children across Senegal. The NGO not only provides supplies to schools as well as to students, but also supplies basic essentials to families and facilitates sponsorship of children’s education in Senegal.
This year, a group of around 20 students in Year 12 at LGB will be making an exciting journey to Senegal for ten days to support Helping Hands, both financially and in person. The collaboration spreads even wider, with the LGB student group working hand-in-hand with students from the International School of Dakar. During their ten-day visit, students will participate in a variety of humanitarian and cultural activities, including contributing to the building of school infrastructure and providing classes to students of all ages. The students have already raised some funds towards this admirable cause, but more is needed! All the LGB community is needed and vital to support the biggest and most exciting fundraising event. This event will not only enable more funds to go towards Senegal but is another opportunity to build new bridges between Geneva and Dakar.
Emmanuel Power, an English teacher in the secondary school agreed to support the cause by donating almost 100 of his paintings to be auctioned off at a student-organized and -led auction that will take place the 9th of February. Mr. Power is a talented artist who has been painting since his youth, but for the last six years has solely dedicated his free time to this passion. His main style of painting is landscape, though he has also created multiple abstract paintings as well as some unique prints. His inspiration ranges from strong colours to romantic landscape scenarios, and all ninety of the artworks being auctioned are already on display on the instagram account @art_auction_senegal_2023.
All the funds collected through this EcolInt Art Centre first student led art auction will go towards the activities undertaken by the Helping Hands. You are all cordially invited to join us on 9 February to admire the skills of our own homegrown artists, learn more about this special cause in Senegal and forge strong links beyond our Geneva base. Come and join us on 9 February to show our EcolInt solidarity and support for causes near and far!
Thank you to all the members of the « Helping Hands » 2022-2023 Project Team for participating in the making of this article!
