Going beyond just providing financial assistance to underserved schools, we also focus on empowering the students within them.

For Face This, I was able to show the students of SDN4 Batu Putih that they were the star artists, capable of using their talents to improve their school’s facilities. This approach not only provides much-needed resources but also fosters a sense of pride, ownership, and self-efficacy among the children, demonstrating the significant impact of their artistry. 

About face this

Face This is a non-profit organization that fosters collaboration between Indonesian students and global (street) artists to create amazing T-shirt designs. All proceeds go to the school to improve their facilities. This year I kicked off the project on Gili Asahan, a small island in Lombok, home to just 80 residents.

The drawing sessions

Choosing “Asahan,” which translates to ‘feeling at home,’ as our annual theme, we embarked on a journey to investigate what creates a sense of belonging for the island’s youth. Recognizing the complexity of this notion for children who have not known any other home, we used a reframing strategy. We shifted from direct queries about belonging to inviting them to illustrate their everyday life segments that contribute to their sense of home.

We engaged them with questions about their favorite family meals, their favorite spots on the island, or who comforts them when they’re upset. I carefully crafted a plan and a booklet to steer the drawing sessions, starting with general warm-up questions and gradually delving into more personal ones.

The enthusiastic participation of the children yielded a diverse collection of drawings and narratives, ready for global artistic collaboration.

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The impact

The drawings of the kids are transformed into final T-shirt designs through a unique one-on-one collaboration between each child and an artist.

Unlike previous years, where follow-up was limited to interactions with the school, this iteration I encouraged Face This to revisit the school to personally hand over the T-shirts to the children.

Each participating child received their uniquely designed shirt, enhancing their pride and sense of ownership. Our aim is to show them the influence their artwork has, not only on a global scale but also in directly benefiting their school.