Starting a non-profit

Artworks for Youth

A couple lesson learned:

1) Replication
“The model unfolds as follows: Replications selects an outstanding school, enlarges it by adding a team of three teachers-including a lead teacher-for a period of one year, and then replicates the school by having that team of three teachers open a new school in a new site (the lead teacher becomes the principal of the new school). After a year spent working in the successful school, the professional knowledge, skills and culture learned by the team is transported to the new school.
"The Replications model uses a 'people to people' approach to transmit professional knowledge, skills and culture," says John Elwell. "This insures that the intangible dynamics that make a school function successfully are carried over to the new school, often the most difficult aspect of making a new school work."”
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news/article.htm?id=2991

2) Art Supply Drive

Not only, do people donate frequent flier miles for funding some of the trips to Africa, but they also do an art supply drive. (e.g., colored pencils, crayons, markers, paints and brushes, beads, craft wire) In addition to getting a non-profit status, receiving initial funding, the organization also auctions the art that is made by the students and the teachers.

3) Outcome

The children produce artwork that shows not only their talents but also their lives. One example is when the children were asked for some of the things that they worry the most, a few responded, hunger, or being stabbed while sleeping.