Campaign Story

A painting project has been taking place in the Terstenik school near Drenas for two years. Every Friday hundred children in four groups can paint and draw. The offer is lively and enthusiastically used.

This project, so precious for the children, was made possible by the pupils of a Swiss school, which had played a concert in Terstenik in 2015. Deeply touched by many children and the completely missing cultural possibilities in this remote village, they played a charity concert after their return to Switzerland and donated the proud proceeds for painting material to Terstenik. A bright room was made available by the director of the school, a motivated teacher quickly found, wooden stools were built according to a Swiss model.

When the orchestra visited the school again in 2016, young painters organized an exhibition and were very proud to show their work. In October 2015, Sven Hoppler and Lia Hasler gave a first four-day workshop and in February 2017 Sven Hoppler conducted a second workshop. These intensive courses are highlights, but the most important thing is, of course, the regular painting lessons, carefully and enthusiastically given by Bekim Istoku.

The pictures are very touching and give an insight into the inner world of these children, their reality, dreams, wishes in their very secluded world. In their paintings, they can fantasize, become wide, fly, but also express and process inner stress and sad feelings. The money of the Swiss orchestra has now been used up and to secure the continuation of this project so precious for children, we need a new financing. The material is bought directly in Pristina by Burim Zherka and Bekim Istoku and carefully managed by them.

For one year we need about 800 Euros. In addition to the material, this money would also allow to present the paintings in a small exhibition.