He is currently providing education to less privileged kids of Soshanguve South Secondary School in South Africa because of the difficulties the school continues to face in the past and had to travel miles to attend school where he hails the School as a ‘school of hope’.
“Looking around, I can’t help but notice severe poverty is a global concern, but the manner in which it is deeply rooted in the community bothers me as a young activist, keeping my silence goes against all my values. I saw an opportunity to join and help a community, but also an opportunity to learn and grow together with the community” he said.
He said through the project Ubuntu, he wants to use art as platform for the kids to communicate their stories, hopes, dreams and aspirations in life. As the community is highly infiltrated by substance abuse, gangs, teenage pregnancy and extreme poverty, which have created an atmosphere of hopelessness and to find ways to keep some of the kids who are extremely talented away from this societal menace through arts.
“I had the opportunity to study at the University of Pretoria from Fordham University through its Ubuntu programme which provided me with part of my service learning component that includes going to poor townships, community centres, and schools to lend a hand in various forms, so I chose to help Soshanguve S.S.S by using art, which is my passion and art which played a crucial role in my development as a young adult and a professional to tell my story and sell my story to the world which has been the most fulfilling aspect of my life so far,” he disclosed.
Jallow seeks to recycle materials from within the township to create 10 works of art over the next 15 weeks.
He revealed that: “I will be painting with students who are either interested in art or would love to be part of creative project that will enhance their community through the active involvement of community leaders, stake holders, and the University of Pretoria, at the end of the 15 weeks period.”
Jallow outlined plans to hold an art exhibition for the students at the University of Pretoria, where important community leaders, local businesses and partners of Soshanguve S.S.S will be invited in an attempt to auction all the paintings to help raise funds for the high school which is all geared towards student success, to create scholarship fund for graduating students who have demonstrated exceptional academic, artistic and leadership abilities and had despairing need for financial assistance to help buy text books, uniforms.
“Knowing this project will help tell stories, a canvas of hopes, dreams and also facing their fears, gives me the ultimate satisfaction. There is no way we can help these kids believe in themselves if they already have a limited vision of who they are and through art we can expand their horizons of possibilities” he said.
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