Republic Bank and Chosen Hands give hope through art

Republic Bank partnered with Chosen Hands to bring the Colours of Hope to life. Chosen Hands is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which runs a sustainable creative arts programme that addresses the needs of economically disadvantaged and at-risk youth said a media release.

The Colours of Hope is the culmination of Chosen’s Hands art and wellness projects for 2021. This year the programme included a community based initiative where residents participated in creatively redesigning their space and beautifying their surroundings through murals. One such project took place at the St Jude’s Home for Girls; this particular project began in April and took six months to complete given the disruptions resulting from the covid19 lockdowns. The Colours of Hope mural unveiling, which took place on September 30 was used to celebrate the creative milestone as well as recognise each student’s contribution to the initiative.

Additionally, the initiative has served to demonstrate the impact of collective efforts which can spark improvement and well-being of individuals.

The release said the learning took the form of teaching sessions where murals were created and provided students with a therapeutic outlet to express their ideas. In addition to the therapeutic value students learnt the fundamentals of creative design and the technical skill to curate a mural.

This year’s milestones included the creation of the Colours of Hope mural, the Colours of Hope student art workbook and group paintings.