The Story of the Acholi

An incredible 2011 Artfully AWARE summer program led to the creation of our AfA storybook entitled The Story of the Acholi - A Village Tale from Uganda. This was born out of a project that encouraged Acholi community members living in Gulu, northern Uganda to write, paint and perform about their personal stories consisting of family, positive health and peace & reconciliation after the 20 year civil war. Our 56 page storybook is written in both English and Acholi languages, is full of colorful illustrations, displays photographs of participating community members and captures personal quotes about this intimate and ultimately empowering project. It is suitable for children over the age of five, and it makes a wonderful gift for friends and family, as well as a great educational resource for the classroom and at home.100% of proceeds raised through the purchase of our book goes straight back into developing more educational arts programs for community members in Uganda to promote empowerment, support psychological well-being, increase self-esteem and enhance local capacity building."Cultural ties contribute to the social, psychological, therapeutic and educational existence of Ugandans. This storybook is the culmination of hundreds of community members' ideas, thoughts, hopes and dreams. The illustrations were first created in 2008 in Tororo, and by August 2011, Gulu residents wrote their own personal recollections in diaries describing events they lived through. They painted scenes depicting their beautiful and sometimes harrowing tales. As a collective group, we combined the essays into one - to colorfully tell the story of the Acholi people. We hope this storybook will bring Ugandan readers closer together and allow the chance for others around the world to share in this experience, while learning about northern Uganda's remarkable culture and its people." Hilary Wallis, Founder and Executive Director of Artfully AWAREThe Story of the Acholi - A Village Tale from Uganda was made possible through a strong collaboration between Artfully AWARE, Childcare and Development Organization and Karin Parents Association.