Courtesy of Enrico DonelliTheir wide smiles, contagious laughter and unbridled joy proved the significance of the transformation. A miracle had happened in Kampala. The once dirty school yard, filled with trash and grime, was now a treasured amusement park for children living in slums. But there’s more. Instead of using imported goods and materials, this wonderland was made out of the very materials that brought the city shame.
Launched in 2010, Eco Art Uganda is an organization comprised of artists working together to promote environmental awareness. Founded by eco-artist Ruganzu Bruno Tusingwire, the group uses art to empower future generations to build a better Uganda. The organization teaches children the importance of respecting the earth and how to be resourceful in reusing things to make something new and beautiful. In fact, the entire amusement park is made out of recycled materials. “We can use what is around us to create treasure, employment opportunities, and make the environment better. There is a wonderful world of possibilities before us,” Tusingwire explains. In a world where quick fixes are common, Eco Art Uganda stands out as sustainable solution to turning trash into treasure, waste into resources and filth into beauty. Even more, the artistic platform brings members of the community together.
“We built the playground together as a team and they (the community) know how to repair it…,” Tusingwire emphasizes. Even the children are invited to participate in transforming their own community. During art sessions, where wood, tires and plastic materials are painted and transformed into art for the playground, children join with adults in the creative process, uniting various generations of the community. Eco Art Uganda has also built play spaces in the Acholi quarters of Uganda, an area abandoned by many people as they fled civil war in northern parts of the country. The much needed rebuilding not only offers restoration and hope for returning adults, but plants creative seeds in future generations. As if changing the lives of children isn’t enough, Eco Art Uganda also has a loan program that helps local women in Kireka with their business endeavors. In a community stifled and riddled by poverty, Eco Art Uganda provides a much needed psychological, socio-economical and emotional lift.
The Mission:
Eco Art Uganda’s mission is best summed up by Tusingwire’s own life: “I’m an advocate now of the environment; I’m an advocate for play for children; I’m an artist…who wants his work to have an effect on the people.” Simply put, Eco Art Uganda exists to influence society by promoting the environmental sustainability of art.
The Founder’s Story:
Orphaned as a child, Ruganzu Bruno Tusingwire is committed to creating environments that support healthy childhoods. He was first introduced to eco art as a student at Kyambogo University where he now teaches and lectures. Additionally, his artistic platform now includes TEDxKampala as well, which focuses on ways local artists can leverage recycled materials as artistic content. In recognition of his community activism, Tusingwire was the first winner of the City 2.0 award and was also the 2011 Young Achievers award winner. As expected, the 30 year old is using the funds to grow his local community. To date, he’s granted 15 women eco-artist loans and expanded his amusement park to various slums in Uganda. In a moving YouTube video, Tusingwire states that “an artist is a reflection of society.”
How to Get Involved:
In 2013, Tusingwire was selected as the Environmental Artists in Residence by the McColl Center of Art and Innovation located in Charlotte, North Carolina. A year later he was named the TEDxChange Heroes at TEDGlobal where he traveled to Denmark to collaborate with local artists. You can help bring awareness to this amazing project by supporting it on social media and by spreading the word to friends, family and your local community.
