Kaliampoondi Mural

Collaboration with Lino Hilsdon & 150 children & staff at Childhaven Children’s Home near Chennai, India

During two three-month spells as volunteers at Childhaven in the tiny village of Kaliampoondi in Southern India, Ramune and Lino create a mural designed to reflect the lives of the inhabitants of the children’s home. The children, a combination of orphans, semi-orphans and members of families too poor to keep them, are not up for adoption — this is their home. The mural project starts with the removal of layers sun-baked exterior gloss paint, followed by the repair and preparation of 30 metres of wall. Selecting which children to feature is the hardest part as they are all desperate for recognition. Ramune and Lino ask them to adopt poses to reflect their lives and interests and then refine and paint their images … hoping the paint will dry before exploring hands get back from school to check out each day’s work.

(More about the children’s homes at www.childhaven.ca.)