Every now and then you meet someone or have an experience that makes you take stock of your own situation, a reminder of that irksome gratitude for what you have; when the reality check confronts you, restoring your faith in human kind. This story is about courage, resilience and a determination to overcome and give back, irrespective of what life deals.
While working on our last competition, A Splash of Red, scrolling through social media, looking to recruit new artists, I came upon a young man, Francois Bangwe, presently living in Malawi. I was impressed with his artwork, his paintings had ‘soul ’ especially his portraits. Artists do struggle here in Malawi, a country wracked with disadvantages, and the lack of professional art supplies and the absence of a dedicated art shop are continual challenges.
I got Francois to join WASA and he consequently won the Art Savings Club award. Francois could not believe it; he was overjoyed and overwhelmed. In collaboration with Art Savings Club and our ‘runner’ [ a transporter between Malawi and South Africa] we got an order together and had it brought up to Malawi. It took a couple of weeks before I was able to meet Francois in person and deliver his art supplies. He lives about 4 hours away from us , which is also challenged with practicing the art of adept pot-hole dodging. In the meantime, I kept in constant contact with him and got him to relate his story.
Francois was born in 1997 in an eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was orphaned as a young child and spent some time living on the streets. Eventually, he was taken in by various people at different stages who helped take care of him in exchange for his doing small jobs. As a young child, he started drawing on his own. He would get so distracted drawing that he had to repeat Standard 4 (4th grade) his drawing taking preference rather than working on his schoolwork.
Around 2015, the violence in the region forced him to flee to Malawi to Dzaleka Refugee camp outside Lilongwe. When he first arrived, he did small jobs for families, making bricks, fetching water, until he became ill and was advised by a doctor that he couldn’t do strenuous, physical work.
Francois has had no formal art training but has received some tuition and guidance from various people who have influenced and encouraged him. His mentor was a fellow refugee who took him under his wing and made him the artist he is today. Francois used these skills to earn some income through painting signs, murals and the odd commission. He also tries to participate in any local art market, festivals etc to try sell his paintings.
Dzaleka Refugee camp, his home, is a sprawling mass of humanity, set up by UNHCR, originally meant to accommodate 10,000 refugees, but now houses 53, 000 . It is humbling to think that these people, despite their very difficult present circumstances, have escaped from previous existences that were even more dire. Life here remains challenging for most residents despite the unwavering support from various humanitarian organizations and donors, but it is never enough. While moments of triumph exist, the daily struggle for basic necessities and human rights, paints a harsh reality for many.
Despite refugees’ challenges and hardships in the camp, many have found ways to thrive and positively impact their community. A refugee status does not allow Francois to find formal employment, his existence is dependent on the sales of his artworks or stipends for doing odd jobs in the camp. His life has been hard, what he refers to as “in the dark up to now.” In his own words, “the lifestyle of refugees, we are suffering here. Most people in Malawi, they see a refugee like we are not people. They just consider us to be refugees. They consider that to be a refugee is an identity. But for me, I understand that to be a refugee is only the situation…When I’m drawing, when I’m painting, I can feel like I’m a person, like others.”
He is fully aware that so many in the camp, including himself, live in poverty and that there are many orphans. There are also divisions between people from different countries and ethnicities, and this is often a contributing factor towards criminal behaviour. Recognising the unification and power of creativity and art, Francois tries to address some of these issues, wanting to make a difference, give some meaning and purpose to lives where there is little hope. Remembering his own childhood, he desperately wants to give the youth a feeling of self-worth and pride, keep them off the streets and what better way than giving them the opportunity to be creative in a safe environment.
He had the ingenuity to find a small one room building on the main road just outside the entrance to the refugee camp, which serves as his studio and gallery and where he holds his art classes. It is very small; here he teaches 30-40 students every day in small groups spread throughout the day as space is limited. He generously gives of his time and classes are free, art supplies and rent dependent on sales of art and donations. The demands are tough, yet every day his art classes are full.
The walls are packed with artworks both his and his students and during the day he displays some of these outside in the hope of attracting the passing motorist. The rent is comparatively high and almost the equivalent of his total monthly earnings. He remains unerringly positive. It is incredibly humbling to see that despite life’s adversities, and he has surely had some raw deals, this gentle, quietly spoken young man, smiles so readily, is so grateful for any goodness that comes his way and still gives selflessly to the community…..against all odds.
It is times like these that I am reminded what WASA is all about. Our intention is to support and promote artists from Southern Africa, but when you know you have made a difference to just one person, that feeling is immensely gratifying. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Art Savings Club and we are grateful to them for agreeing to be part of this process. Lynne from Art Savings Club had this to say,
” I’m just always so humbled and inspired when I look at stories like these, where no adversity got him down. Just look at the art behind him!!…a true testament of resilience, spirit and the truest examples of expression….”
Ditto, ditto, ditto!!!!!!!
To contact Francois :
Email: francoisbangwe5@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +265 990257748
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/francoisbangwe3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francoisbangwe5gmail.com4/
By Barbi Cunningham
Exhibition/ competition co-coordinator
and general admin WASA