Art Relief International
We believe in the transforming power of art to heal global ills.
Art Relief International is dedicated to raising public awareness
through the artistic expression of Joe and Jenny Smith.
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My wife, three children and I were in a refugee camp in Parj-Wayee. The Taliban prevented aide from getting through to the camp. Children in the camp were dying from hunger and diarrhea. There was no work, there was no food, there was no money, our kids were dying because of hunger. When the Taliban came to the camp and offered food and money in exchange for working for their group I agreed so I could feed my family. Before the Taliban took control I had a job and my two older children attended school. We had a good life.
- Kabir, Afghan Refugee
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| "Kabir" by Joe Smith |
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| "Martha" by Joe Smith |
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| Martha is 84 years old and has been married to Jim for 54 years, they have four children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. After graduating from college and receiving her masters degree in education Martha began her 30 year career teaching 3rd grade. During this time she raised four children, gave piano lessons and was an active member in her church - teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir. At the age of 73 Martha became forgetful. She was later diagnosed with Alzheimer's and was asked to give up her Sunday School class. One-by-one parents found other piano teachers for their children; and eventually the choir director told Martha's husband it would be best if Martha would "retire" from the choir, saying, "Jim, you know we love you and Martha, but I'm no longer comfortable being responsible for Martha." Jim and Martha never returned to their church. A few people from the congregation sent cards at first, and the pastor visited a couple of times, but soon Jim and Martha were forgotten. Their children lived to far away to make regular visits. A crisis was the only thing that brought their children and grandchildren to visit. As Jim's health began to deteriorate it became increasingly difficult for him to care for Martha without support. Their church "family" was too busy and family member too far away. When Jim had a heart attack their children moved Martha into a nursing home. Jim, no longer able to drive, stays home alone. Martha sits in the nursing home, alone.
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| "Mabel" by Joe Smith |
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| I am Mabel, grandmother of six orphans. My youngest daughter has three children and is dying from AIDS. So I am taking care of my daughter and nine children. This thing started when my children got sick a few years ago. Within one year, two of my daughter died. They left me with their children. My husband died 14 years ago so they have no grandpa. It's only these children and me now. I have nothing to offer them. I use my pension money, about 700 ren a month (100 USD), to take care of them. I use about 400 ren to pay rent and utilities and with what is left over I buy a bog of porage and some bread for these children. I'm almost 80-years-old. I'm well on my way to dying. I don't know who is going to take care of them when I go. There's no real plan for what you can do, nothing. It's heavy, very heavy. I try to make a business by selling ice cream and other things but the children when they get hungry they take and eat. It's totally futile. Our church doesn't help with anything. It's just a hopeless situation. My health is not good. I don't know how long I'll live. When I go, I must just go. I'm tired. I need a break. When I'm dead, it's going to be a big big problem for my grandchildren.
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| "Mabel" by Joe Smith |
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| "Amadou" by Joe Smith |
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| Eleven year old Amadou was lured in Mali, Africa, by a slave trader to work on a cocoa farm in Cote d' Ivoire. "Would you like a job in Cote d' Ivoire? I can find you one." Coming from an impoverished family Amadou saw this as an opportunity to help them. The slave trader, who appeared kind and concerned for Amadou's welfare, told him that not only would he receive a bicycle, but he could help his parents with the $180 he would earn. After arriving at the farm Amadou was forced to work in the field picking cocoa beans from 5am-7pm. If Amdaou spilled a bag of beans by accident he would be beaten with cocoa tree branches or bike chains. He was fed a few bananas a day. If he was lucky he would also get corn paste. At night Amadou was locked in a 24 ft room with 18 other slave children and slept on a wooden plank with one small hole for air and a can for urinating. Once he saw another boy attempt to escape, only to be brutally beaten after capture. Amadou and many others like him continue to live in these brutal conditions.
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Suddenly we saw an airplane come through the town. After a few minutes, we see there is Jinjaweed. After that arrives soldiers, they start catching people they put them in lorries and some of them in jeeps. When I hid myself, I saw other Jinjaweed, two person. They catch a young girl, like 10 or 13-years-old, one is standing by his gun and the other one start raping that girl.
I hope and I am asking for everybody, UN, and organization, anybody, UK, USA, any country who has enough power to help us.
-- Adam Hassan, Darfur, Sudan
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| "Adam Hassan" by Joe Smith |
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| "Adam Hassan" by Joe Smith |
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| "Susie" by Joe Smith |
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| Susie, of Atlanta, Georgia, was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer, and despite having health insurance, her treatments left her $165,000 in debt. While undergoing treatments, she lost her job. Along with her job went her health insurance. He home was repossessed, and she eventually had to file for bankruptcy.
"It's bad enough that people have to fight for their lives, and fight to get well...they shouldn't have to lose everything and fight for financial freedom. I am not living with my 85-year-old mother who struggles to pay for her own medications. Last week I started treatments again because the cancer has returned. Without treatment I would only have three months to live."
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Viola, a young Albanian, was 13 when she started dating 21-year-old Greg, who proposed to marry her, promising her a better life in the United States. Arriving in the U.S., Viola's life did change. Greg locked her in a hotel room and left her, never to be seen again. A group of white men entered, and began to beat and rape Viola. Greg sold her and her life was threatened if she did not obey. For seven days Viola was beaten and repeatedly raped. Viola was sold a second time to someone who prostituted her. She was told if she didn't work as a prostitute her mother and sister in Albania would be raped and killed. Viola was forced to submit to prostitution until police raided the apartment. She was detained and then deported to Albania.
One thinks of slavery as an evil confined to musty sepia photographs. But there are 21-st century versions of slavery. Child trafficking is a global problem effecting more than 1.2 million children each year, according to UNICEF. A majority of these children are trafficked to the United States as cheap labor or for sexual exploitation. Child trafficking is lucrative and is often hidden and hard to address. Children who have been trafficked are faced with a range of dangers, including violence and sexual abuse. When found by the police, they are often demoralized again when arrested and detained as illegal aliens.
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| "Viola" by Joe Smith |
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| "Viola" by Joe Smith |
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