Flowers for Africa works with organizations looking to foster lasting positive social and behavioural change in communities or wanting to fully engage communities from the inside out. We use an asset-based community-led development approach, which means working with the community’s existing assets, such as children’s innate creativity, wall space and volunteers from the community. We generally work with children ages 6 to 12, but also cater for younger and older age groups.
The Flowers for Africa methodology uses a step-wise approach that ensures the maximum number of children are reached, while training local community members to continue using this method into the future. We design each intervention through close consultation with clients and communities, adapting the Flowers for Africa methodology and outputs according to needs and time available.
Facilitators are selected from the community, with onsite training and supervision provided. Each facilitator receives the Flowers for Africa training manual. The mural painting is done over a series of workshops with groups of children. The workshops can include educational or therapeutic content, with opportunities for mindfulness and movement to support learning. With creative instruction, careful boundaries and support from the facilitators, the children do all the artwork themselves, ensuring they get all the credit. On successful completion of the mural, the facilitators receive certificates and the children are given mementos of their work.
Flowers for Africa can also provide photo and video reports of the project for organisations wishing to amplify their work through social media or to donors.