This
is Mama Mbwilo, a mother of four from Iringa, whose
photograph inspired local
physiotherapist and artist, Sue
Skyrme to raise money for SEED through her
paintings. The
question was where to display
them?
Victoria
Hawkins from Warren Farm, had the great idea for
Sue
to take part in this years h.Art event in aid of SEED.
h.Art is Herefordshire's Open
Studios event which took place
in September. One hundred and twenty eight
artists' studios
and exhibitions welcomed over
23,000 visits in just nine days.
Sue
transformed the barn at Warren Farm by painting a
fantastic mural of ‘The Last
Supper’, creating a wonderful
backdrop for her other paintings. The
picture on the right is
a magnificently colourful image named ‘The Homemakers’.
Sue’s
main exhibit (above) is a very moving illustration of the thoughts of a
Tanzanian woman making
a positive move to survive in an area of
great poverty. Mama Mbwilo is the mother of Japheti, the
first student to be supported
by SEED. Her husband was a subsistence farmer, who worked all
hours just to tend enough crops
to feed the family. Two years ago he passed away, yet another
victim of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Since
her husband died, monkeys have taken over her plot of land (shamba) leaving her
with little
hope of producing food for her
family and herself. The family now rely on the support of her
husband’s brother, who also has a
family of his own in the next village.
However,
she remains thankful that her eldest son is now finishing his A-levels after
five years of
support through S.E.E.D. Once he
has finished his studies at school/college or university, the whole
family will benefit from his
education through the financial support he will be able to give them.
He
promises to help his younger siblings attend school themselves, as well as
providing much needed
food and medication for the
family.
Sue is now selling her
work in aid of SEED.
The pictures can also be
viewed at the ‘Food for All’ bookshop in Bromyard.
These pictures would make
a wonderful gift – not only for the recipient but also for the children
the proceeds will
go to help.
Postcards of
Mama Mbwilo/Homemakers: £1
Original picture of ‘The
Homemakers’ £250 (Support 2 children)
Mama
Mbwilo:
High quality paper Giclée certificated print: £25 (Support
a child for 2 months)
Canvas Giclée certificated print: £125 (Support a child for 10 months)
Original picture of Mama
Mbwilo £1,250 (Support
8 children or help to
create new water
facilities.)
If you would like to buy a
piece of art work please contact Sue on 01886 853282.