Special Projects

Art & Books for Children in Crises

Funkor works with Children in Crisis, by not only raising funds for relief efforts, but also organizing art activities and book reading sessions as a ‘ healing process’.

2002-2004  Art and Book-reading Workshops with Afghan Refugee Children

From 2002 till 2004 Funkor Childart Center organised regular art and craft workshops in the Afghan Refugee camp in the refugee camp at H 11. Art work of some of the students was included in a UNESCO publication "Teaching of Afghan Refugee Teachers in Pakistan". Their work was exhibited along Pakistani children’s work at an exhibition and contest, organized by the Embassy of Japan, in which Funkor was one of the partner organizations.  Funkor organised regular workshops where volunteers of JICA also assisted. Organised several art and book reading workshops with Afghan refugee children, and included their work in the International Children's Day 2004 organised by the Ministry of Special Education and Social Welfare, where Funkor Childart Center was a coordinator. Read More


2005 – 2006 Art and Book-reading Workshops with Victims of the Devastating Earthquake of 2005

Funkor Childart Center used Art and story telling as an integral part of healing with the victims of the devastating earthquake of October 2005 in the hospitals and camps in Islamabad, Mansehara, Bagh and Muzaffarabad. Some of their artwork and stories  have been published in a book ‘Kashmir’s Children – The Silent Witnesses of the Earthquake’, Al Madad Foundation Elliot & Thompson. Their artwork was also displayed in Germany by Little Art Gallery in Munich. The article ' Child Victims need Human Touch' by Fauzia Minallah, which was printed in Dawn newspaper in October 2005, was instrumental in creating an awareness about the vulnerability of unattended children in hospitals. Thousands of injured children were brought in helicopters and many of them were without adult attendant, thus at great risk of being kidnapped by child traffickers. Fauzia also developed communication material on Hygiene promotion for the UNICEF that were widely used in relief camps in the earthquake affected areas. The material was pre tested in the relief camps of Bagh , Muzaffarabad and Mansehra.. Read More

2009  Art and Book-reading Workshops with Internally Displaced Children IDPs

In early 2009, the military operation against Talibans started in Malakand division, due to which nearly 2.5 million people were displaced. Funkor Childart Center, organised special activities with nearly 3500 displaced children, using art and book reading to exorcise their fears. In collaboration with Civil Society Islamabad we distributed relief goods to nearly 3000 displaced families in Mardan, Swabi, Dargai and Islamabad. Funkor also encouraged the children to draw and paint, as they needed help to exorcise their fear of both the Taliban and of army shelling. We organized story telling sessions and distributed ‘Sadako’s Prayer’.

Please visit  http://funkorchildart.blogspot.com/ to look at our work. We particularly worked with displaced minorities, visiting a church in Mardan and Gurdwara in Hasanabdal.

2010  Art and Book-reading Workshops with Victims of the Devastating Floods

In 2010 Pakistan was struck by yet another disaster, one of the worst flooding Pakistan has seen in over 80 years. Entire villages have been swept away, causing death and destruction. Funkor again collaborated  with Civil Society Islamabad, in helping almost 2000 families with emergency relief goods.

Funkor distributed 1100 gifts among children, each gift consisting of story book, new clothes for Eid, stationery, colours, sketchbook, milk and cookies. Book reading sessions were also organized. These were distributed through Idara-i-Taleem-o-Agehi in Tangi and Pustungharhi and through Idara-Baraii-Taleem-o-Taraqee, IBT, in Bahrain.

With IBT Bahrain, Funkor set up ‘Amai’s Nest’ a healing place for flood affected children where they can read books, paint pictures as well as catch up on their studies that were disrupted due to displacement. 

 

Other Special Projects