One Young World ‘IMPACT’ Report 2011
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PROJECT Orkidstudio Charity
AIM To use arts and architecture as a tool for humanitarian aid, to help communitues of orpahns regardless of race, religion or circumstance
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Coming from a MalaysianChinese society that has often devalued creativity and passion over business and moneymaking, Su Mei’s life took a different toll when she fell in love with art. Combined with a passion for helping the less fortunate, this was one of her initial reasons why she co-founded Orkidstudio along with 2 other directors. Julissa Kiyenje, James Mitchell and myself united with the mission to use the arts and architecture as a tool for humanitarian aid. Their aim was to help communities of orphans regardless of race, religion or circumstance. To date, they have conducted 2 successful projects where they have established links with a certain community, designed, fundraised and personally built on site in order to provide the specific community with a new facility. The first project (2008) was in Uganda, East-Africa and the second (2010-2011) took place in Bolivia, South America. In each case they have made the conscious effort to improve on the existing orphanage’s facilities using the tools of art and architecture to provide a functional space as well as trying to inspire a sense of pride, ambition and ownership in the children as well as people who run the place. The impact of the first project with the New Hope Orphanage, Uganda gave the community
a new kitchen where they now have access to water, electricity and good stoves, none of which they had before. When one of their friends went to visit the orphanage in Uganda last year, 2 years after they completed our project there, she reported back that the kitchen was being put to good use, was a central community hub and that it had allowed the New Hope to expand to take in more children in need. Their second project was in Bolivia, South America where they started building them a carpentry workshop. However after 8 months of time invested in the building as well as running small community art projects, they decided that the building would be well suited as an arts centre to train the children, in skills to equip themselves to survive in the world without crime, drugs and alcohol. Most of the children were street kids, coming from broken families. Like most artists, their success would be born out of their strife and time on the streets. Future plans include a project in Zambia, Africa as well as one in Malaysia and of course, more creative fundraising efforts. They are currently looking to expand their team to truly fulfill what we want to achieve for the communities we work with. For more details do refer to their website at www.orkidstudio.co.uk.•