Architecture students ‘build smiles’ through community art projects

AMMAN — Disillusioned by a lack of possibilities, Jordanian Lina Abojaradeh decided to start her own volunteer initiative “Archismile” to put her academic skills at the service of her community. 

“As an architecture student, I found myself disappointed with the absence of opportunities to apply what I was learning in my community. I realised I was not alone in this case, as there is a general lack of youth engagement in the community, with the primary focus going on one's academic accolades,” Abojaradeh pointed out, stressing that this also leads to demotivated youth who do not have the experience to develop skills needed in the 21st century.

She said she unsuccessfully looked for volunteering opportunities that would allow her and her fellow students to apply the artistic skills they had honed through their architecture classes.

Teaming up with co-founders Eman Abu Alfailat and Azhar Momani, the second year student established Archismile, a group seeking to engage members of the community through art, with the double objective of empowering underprivileged groups of society while unleashing their creativity to beautify their areas. 

“The importance of art in our lives cannot be understated,” Abojaradeh said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times, citing various bodies of research showing that art in education and therapy is proven to improve communication, concentration, behaviours and relationships.

A report by the American NGO Americans for the Arts stated that a student engaged in artistic pursuits is four times more likely to succeed in academic pursuits, while noting that 72 per cent of business frontrunners say that creativity is the first skill they look for when hiring.

However, the former student lamented the greatly forsaken place of art in Jordanian communities, where she said “creativity isn’t encouraged”. 

Established around five years ago, Archismile so far touched the lives of 8,000 youth across the Kingdom, whose schools’ concrete walls have been turned into colourful, positive message canvases. 

“We promote positive messages to inspire youth and the community at large,” co-founder Momani explained, noting that the initiative “wants to perpetuate messages like respecting our environment, following our dreams and having confidence in our identities” to instigate positive social change. 

Some 15 murals have been painted in various locations across Jordan, including Ajloun, Irbid, Jerash, Rusaifeh and Jabal Taj, Jabal Natheef, Abdali and Dahiet Rasheed in Amman, targeting schools, universities, orphanages and children centres, among other places. 

“This is an amazing initiative that gives hope and lets us colour our dreams,” said 40-year-old Jordanian Alaa Rabah following the painting of the mural in Jabal Taj.

While established by a youth-led group, Archismile is open to all, whatever their age or gender, its founders said, stressing that the group invites anyone with a passion to give to his/her community to join, with “no proven artistic ability or talent required”.

“It is not only about a group of volunteers creating art and beautifying the community. Above all, it is about community engagement and participation,” co-founder Abu Alfailat underlined, noting that having passerby from the community grab a brush and join in is “one of the most rewarding aspects as it creates community cohesion and bonding”.

Archismile also participated in a number of charity community events such as face painting in various Palestinian camps, creative activities for the King Hussein Cancer Centre’s patients and charity artistic iftars for orphans, among others.

Abojaradeh said she was inspired by the words of HRH Crown Prince Hussein, who said volunteering helps the youth to “develop their personality, interact with the society and [improve their] skills to communicate, plan and work as a team”.

“Our ultimate aim is limitless,” she underlined, highlighting her belief that Archismile “has the potential to inspire a huge-scale artistic movement across different sectors”.