The Adia Children's Foundation

I've been keeping myself busy tonight with peripheral things ince there's nothing more I can do for littrle Adia while I wait out the next four days. First comes the task of reviving my non-profit organization, started years ago for an artist's collective bu inactive for some time, to being a charitable trust for Adia and children like her.

The registration paperwork is finished and all sealed into a pretty green envelope. Green is my colour of good luck here - i think because the mosques are always illumined with green light so it has come to suggest things of beauty and peace. Hopefully it might wends its way through the great and terrible labyrinth of Indian beauracracy successfully and quickly - I expect results in about a week.

All evening, I've been turning around in my mind how the arts have become such a big part of helping Adia. I've been thinking a lot about the greater situation at hand, and what my place could be in it. My vision is to dedicate the Adia Children's Foundation as a group to helping children and families through the arts. One of my strongest beliefs is of the power of the arts to change lives. I feel like it's the context in which I would be most capable, to raise awareness of and bring aid to exploited or abused female children through the arts.

Here is a very brief outline of the activities I see such a group being capable of, and which I have some experience in:

Firstly we have the idea of the helping women find self-sufficiency through traditional handicrafts, like the beautiful embroidery Adia's grandmother makes. If such handicrafts could be shared with the world and bring their creators fair-trade prices, it would be a marvellous step.

Maybe I could organize something like a project in which i participated in Mexico some years ago; to raise community awareness about the educational needs of children there, I and two other artists from the States got together with a group of kids to paint a mural which illustrated our cause. India is quite fond of murals (pretty much every surface is lushly painted with something lovely and bright), and the project would not only put the issue in the minds of passers-by but also open artistic avenues and inspioration for young minds who need an outlet for expression.

I'm still also keen on writing a children's book about Adia's story and how people all over the world have come together to show her compassion and love. I could dovetail some of my existing projects to include these themes, and in that way gain exposure for the Foundation. I'm very interested to hear the suggestions of others for how we could raise funds and awareness for disadvantaged children through the arts, and anyone who would be interested in a place on ther board of the Foundation's trustees. As our numbers increase, so shall our power to help!

One thing at a time, of course - first we're going to do all we can to get Adia well. This morning, Nicholas spoke with a wonderful woman in Australia, a doctor who is concerned about Adia's plight. If we can locate the family in the next few days, this lady may be able to persuade a doctor to admit Adia to the hospital sooner. Time is always of the essence, and this would be a great improvement of affairs.

I will continue to keep everyone posted about anything that transpires with Adia and her family. I'll also be delighted to start a dialogue with anyone who has suggestions for outreach; please feel free to contact me either by commenting here or to my email, dustcastles@gmail.com