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Hot water, sewage disposal and electricity are all at our fingertips in more economically developed countries. These are taken for granted and seem normal to us. Available at any supermarket, food comes pre-packaged in whatever size and meat comes in whatever species we want. Everywhere, plumbing delivers clean water, whereas here villagers must walk miles to fetch a bucket of water.

But one thing that we take for granted more than anything else is the ability to express ourselves and learn how to develop this power. Art - a form of expression - is not offered in the schools in this rural area of Tanzania. As a result, students might miss a chance to discover something that could both frustrate and confused them. They would not be able to create and develop something that could be their rock, that could be always there to listen.

A group of the Inspire volunteers, including myself, an Art Major, went to Ufani Primary School to give art lessons . In the classrooms there were different stations: face painting, watercolor painting, drawing leaves and more. Instead of teaching them how to draw faces or trying to explain how different circles connect, I decided to teach them to do whatever they want.

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Kids developing creativity and fine movement skills in art classes given by volunteers

So, it was time for free draw. I don’t know what it meant to them to be able to color out of the lines, to be able to express themselves in whatever way they want. But I am certain we enabled them to try something new, to do right and wrong, to lose and find themselves in many ways. And that is what art is all about. It is a form of expression that should be cherished above all, everywhere.

Seras tra. Art saves.