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This article was originally published in , a student publication from Ringling College of Art and Design.

For many students at Ringling College of Art and Design, summer break provides an opportunity to grow as artists by showcasing their talents through internships, residencies, and summer jobs. These experiences help develop portfolios with real-life work experience. Through the College’s collaboration with Projects for Peace, this time can also be used to create meaningful change in the world. Choosing the latter path, I spent my entire summer break—which is South Africa’s winter—conducting a support program for neurodivergent children in the mining town of Barberton.

Barberton, a town in Mpumalanga province known locally as “the genesis of life,” was introduced to me by inclusive education specialist and personal friend Nomfundo Mhlanga, who lives and works in the area. During her time teaching at Sikhutsele Primary School, Mhlanga observed how undiagnosed learning disabilities often led children to drop out of school, making them vulnerable to being groomed into gang activity and crime. 

This insight sparked an idea: creating a support program for neurodivergent children at Sikhutsele Primary School. The program was conceived in acknowledgment of the harsh reality that many families cannot afford proper diagnostic services for learning disorders, nor do they have the resources to find affordable ones. What began as a conversation evolved into a concrete plan and then into a proposal submitted to the College’s Projects for Peace selection committee. Every year, Ringling College receives proposals from students across majors who are looking to conduct projects that promote peace in different places around the world. My project, the Lekelela Initiative, was selected to represent the College for the 2024 cohort of Projects for Peace summer grant recipients. The collaboration between Ringling College and Projects for Peace enables students to address critical needs in communities worldwide. I saw an opportunity to promote peace by supporting vulnerable children early in their education, stopping the cycle that often leads to involvement in crime.

In previous years this collaboration with Projects for Peace has supported equally impactful programs in regions such as Latin America and the Middle East. In 2022, Visual Studies student Sam Siso established a summer program in Iraq facilitating rehabilitation for war survivors. The following year, Mafer Bencomo created Venequeteca, a digital archive of LGBTQ Venezuelan testimonies that serves as a crucial resource for those seeking refugee status in LGBTQ-friendly nations. Skills learned at Ringling College prove to be relevant to these peace-building initiatives as well. For instance, both the Lekelela Initiative and Venequeteca utilized lessons from the Business of Art and Design department’s Project Management class. These applications emphasize the relevance of art and design, even in peace-building and leadership. As this project takes shape in Barberton, it joins a growing number of Ringling-supported projects that continue to contribute to peace worldwide. These initiatives connect Ringling College with communities beyond Sarasota, making the Ringling community one of global citizens.