Art can be a form of cathartic release for those in distress, and the humanitarian wing of the NTU United Nations Students Association (UNSA) hoped to provide an avenue for that in Carnival RHEA, a festival focused on women empowerment.
Held at NTU’s The Arc on 20 December 2019, 31 volunteers set up activity stations for residents from PERTAPIS Centre for Women & Girls to participate in a day of interactive games and craftwork. Split into three groups to try out the activities, participants set out to create various original artworks that many of the girls would not have had the chance to try out before.
One such activity was bracelet making, where volunteers created a game out of the different coloured strings and charms available. With each colour representing a specific “element” of their own strengths, the girls were able to pick out the ones they resonated with and create their own bracelets with help from the volunteers. Other activities included flower arrangement where the participants could pick out the flower meanings that they felt represented them, and scrapbooking for participants to pen down their feelings creatively.
The second half of the programme was inspired by the reality television show “Amazing Race”, where the girls were split into teams of eight with a volunteer facilitator. The teams played bonding games across four stations and had the opportunity to earn bonus points through side tasks, an activity that brought the volunteers and participants closer together.
With each activity designed to allow the girls to discover more about themselves, the event was able to pull off its goal of empowering these girls with new knowledge and skills.
Alongside the Centre’s interest in another collaboration with UNSA in the future, volunteers also expressed enthusiasm in participating in similar activities in the future. Many shared that Carnival RHEA was an enriching and eye-opening experience, and as a whole, UNSA hopes that their efforts have made an impact on the lives of its participants.
Planning this event has taught me so much about relying on my team members for support and trusting one another. Furthermore, I’ve learnt the importance of accessibility and ensuring the participants were able to relate to our activity – we were able to put across our message and bond with them. Ultimately, it was really heartening to have spent the afternoon braiding bracelets with them, learning from them and sharing laughter together. Nazurah Binte Ahmad Noerman, Volunteer
About United Nations Students Association (Humanitarian Wing)
UNSA (Humanitarian)’s mission is to engage and serve communities from various walks of life, within the region. “MERAKI”, a word that modern Greeks often used to describe doing something with soul, creativity or love, fits perfectly into the direction and vision of its activities, and it incorporates this into both local and overseas projects through efforts from the heart.
