Mitrataa Foundation - Projects - 100Views Art & Literacy Program

100Views Art & Literacy Program

100Views Art & Literacy Program is a creative teaching project focused on an icon in the students' local area. (More information can be found at http://www.100views.com.au.) This initiative was conceived, tested and founded by award-winning Australian children's author, Libby Hathorn. Libby visited Kathmandu as part of Thulo April 2008 to establish the first 100Views program in Nepal.

Libby and her friend and artist, Pat Granville Smith, together ran a three day training course for the teachers at the model school. The course consisted of 3 poetry and 3 art workshops and at the completion the teachers were well equipped to introduce the program to the school. You can read more about the running of the program by reading our blog posting. Mt Everest has been chosen as the icon for this first running of the project in Nepal. You can also view many great photos from the program by visiting our photos page.

At the conclusion of the teacher training component we held a 100Views launch to celebrate the official opening of the project in the school. The program was attended by all of the students at the school and gave the teachers an opportunity to share some of their works either by reading some of their poems or by displaying their paintings, sketches and models of Mt Everest. The program concluded with the students lighting 100 candles which was a very symbolic and special moment for everyone there.

This program is an exciting ongoing initiative that provides another aspect to teacher training that focuses particularly on creativity. We have worked with the teachers to help them to apply the skills they have learned in the 100Views program to their daily classroom teaching.

Current Status

The school is working towards achieving 100 pieces of art and 100 pieces of poetry that will celebrate Mt Everest and their community. Once this is complete we will be helping them to hold a 100Views festival which will be open to parents of the students and everyone in the local community. Photos from the festival and also of some of the works will then be posted on the 100Views website.
We are exploring the possibility of introducing the 100Views Art & Literacy Program into other schools in Nepal so stay tuned for more information in that regard.
You can read the full program outline by clicking here.

How YOU Can Help

We would love to hear from anyone who has unwanted or surplus poetry books or other resources that could assist us with running the course or provide ongoing inspiration and reference points for the children in Nepal.