Art for Enthum

Join us in supporting Enthum Foundation with the chance to win the valuable print “Angel of Refuge”

Enthum House (EH) provides a safe and welcoming home for children on the move who are seeking asylum in the UK. They have survived dangerous, lonely journeys from war-torn countries, abuse at the hand of traffickers and the loss of their families. All are in need of trauma-focussed support whilst settling into a country and culture completely unknown to them.

Enthum House’s specialist staff team offers 24/7 support to seven young people at a time, building on their inherent resilience through cross-cultural integration programmes, empowering them to make positive contributions to UK society.

The project collaborates with local authorities, statutory services and partnership organisations, ensuring each young person receives the best person-centred support and advocacy as possible, whilst moving towards independent living.

You can read two stories of how Enthum House has helped to transform young people’s lives here.

In recent months huge numbers of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have again arrived on the shores of Southern England.  Enthum House is currently looking to develop, and expand and increase its outreach to be able to help more of these young people in need.

“We are very grateful for your generous donation and contribution which supports some of the most vulnerable young people in our country.”

Twelve Angels

Earlier this year, SDIA showcased Enthum House in our eNews. On reading this issue , US artist Robert Mertens was inspired to initiate a fundraiser for the project. He has decided to raffle prints of one of his paintings – Angel of Refuge – pictured here.

Here, in Robert’s own words, is the story of the painting …

I am an artist and my mother was an artist. When my mother was young, she won a national prize for a beautiful watercolor called ‘Choir of Angels’. Choir of Angels was the only one of her pictures that she had in her room during her final years. I visited her in Virginia just before she died and saw the picture again.  When I returned to my home to California, I thought, “I’m going to make a choir of 12 angels, one for each month in the coming year. I will do it to honor my mother.” So I did.

Last February, I saw the newsletter about Enthum House, and it caught my attention. I was very moved by the safety, hope, and opportunity Enthum House is giving to these young people in desperate need. I could have sent some money but something possibly better came to me. “I am an artist. I can help Enthum house more with my art than with my money.” I realised I could leverage donations to Enthum with a crowd-sourced fund drive and give some of my fine art prints for people who donate above certain amounts as perks

I then remembered ‘Go Fund Me’, a not-for-profit crowd-sourcing platform with fund drives for people and projects in need. I have donated to a couple of these drives at Go Fund Me myself, and see that it could work for Enthum.

I chose ‘Angel of Refuge’ as the most fitting picture to help Enthum House grow and prosper.

The picture shows the world, safe and at peace in the embrace of God. The angel is swooping down and sheltering us in its heart. It offers our world up to God with a prayer of Love and Gratitude. 

Now it is your turn to help us raise $20,000 for Enthum Foundation!

1. Go to our Donate Now button below.
2. Buy your tickets

• For each donation of $50 or more, your name will be entered once into our Art for Enthum Raffle. 
• For a $100 dollar donation, you will get 3 entries. 
• For a $500 donation, you will get 20 entries.

      The more tickets you get, the higher your chances to win this valuable prize!

     3. We will mail you your prize.

• First prize: Large print measuring 24″x32″ / 68.5 x 91.5cm
• 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th prizes: Small prints, each measuring 11″ x 14 2/3″ / 28 x 37.25cm cm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to support Enthum Foundation and the asylum-seeking children and youth who are protected by its care and services!

One Young Person’s Story of Change January 2020 

One year has passed and I’m writing for Enthum again (it’s always a pleasure).  

Since last February, everything in my life changed again. I think the main difference is that six of our young people, including me, are now 18 years old. We are all legally adults, which means we need to take a big step and slowly move out. Yes, it is really disappointing, scary, overwhelming and stressful. It’s also kind of exciting. I think with Enthum’s support and understanding of the situation we will pass over it and move on slowly, carefully and not too stressfully. 

Key workers are providing everyone with the best knowledge of moving on and living independently which make the situation less stressful. So generally, I think we all going to get there with the right individual support. We’ve all learned about how to be independent in the past year as well, with helping to wash up and clean, and the house meetings with the young people.  

One of the main and useful support that we had from Enthum was sex education lessons in the house, boys and girls separated. I personally think it was really useful and I have this feeling that now I know where or who to go to if I had any sexual problems.  

Every young person in the house has started their regular and routine education in different colleges in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings, so the house is quiet in the morning.  I personally finished my GCSE’s and changed from Lewes Old Grammar School to East Sussex College in Eastbourne to do my A levels this year. I love college now and I’m enjoying my A Levels so much – in a much more calm and friendly environment.  

To be honest, I think all of us (young people) are feeling like me because we are all settling and learning about the UK more – with Enthum’s help and care.  

All of our young people are still having English lessons more than once a week in the house with lovely teacher David. You can see how incredibly every one improved in a year and how strongly they’ve started communicating with each other.  

Also we have two new staff working in the house. Sometimes they are too caring because they’re new, but genuinely they are lovely and helpful people. You can really see how staff who work in house show care and love to each other. 

Enthum has supported us in the many different ways of life’s ups and downs.  

I think it is clear now that we all have different problems and we are all trying the best we can to achieve our goals. With all the support around us we can show to the world that it doesn’t matter how difficult your problem or life experience is or how much harder you need to try to solve something you can still achieve your goal….  and see the world in more colours.   

This is what Enthum teaches you – and also every day is a school day in Enthum House. 

Thank you, AP 

Krar-Making workshop 

“I made a Krar with Paul in his workshop. I used a machine to make holes in the wood. Paul cut the wood. It took 3 hours. We made a beautiful Krar. When I play the Krar I feel good and happy.”  

F and I (Emmanuel) were playing the musical instruments together one day. F explained to me that the Krar that was donated to him was not like what he played in Eritrea and showed me pictures of 5 string electric Krars. With a little research I got the idea that would be very easy to build one and F said he would like to do it. 

While I was researching for parts I discovered there is a guitar-maker named Paul Stevens who has a workshop on our road. I e-mailed Paul and Paul said he would help build it and donate the parts.  

Paul had a very well-equipped workshop and F said it was good. After a little instruction F started using the tools too and drilling holes, gluing and screwing parts together and filing some metal parts.  

After 4 hours the Krar was finally made and F plugged it in to one of Paul’s speakers and it sounded very nice. F’s playing improved as he practiced. F brought the Krar home and we fastened the last part which was the back cover and he showed it to the staff. He then took it to his room and enjoyed playing it some more. 

Paul and I are very pleased to be able to help make an instrument for F as we are both musicians and know how much it makes every day better to be able to play an instrument you like.