Street youth experience chronic stress and neglect every day. FOA utilizes weekly art and music therapy as a tool to provide a space for street youth to heal, express themselves, and find hope again.
Every Wednesday from 8am to 4pm, our community center opens its doors to children and youth living on the streets, offering a much-needed break from the noise and never-ending stress of street life. Many street youth go days without proper meals, rest, or the simple dignity of bathing in peace and privacy.
Through our Wellness Wednesday program, youth receive nourishing meals, hygiene support, and a safe space to rest, while also participating in life skills sessions focused on teamwork, values, self-esteem, and healthy habits.
Over the past three years, Wellness Wednesday has been truly transformational. "Everytime I come for Wellness Wednesday, I have a day of peace," Emmanuel Boateng.
It has helped street youth envision better futures, change their living conditions, and begin vocational training. This year, we’ve strengthened the program by adding healing and therapy through art and music. For three hours each week, skilled instructors guide the youth in drumming, dancing, and arts and crafts—offering creative outlets for hope and healing.
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I like drumming because it helped me know more about my culture and I really enjoyed performing on stage at the exhibition
In arts, the youth have been sculpting, painting, coloring and making creative pieces like lampshades from recycled bottles. In drumming sessions, they learn to play different rhythms and explore different dances.
Wellness Wednesday has become more than a midweek break, it’s a safe space for healing, fun, and creativity. And since we introduced art and music therapy, the youth are are showing up more consistently and staying engaged throughout the sessions. They come excited, eager to finish their art and craft projects or learn the next dance. "I have seen more street youth join our program each week. They find the activities relaxing and fun," Tracy Anang.
We’ve also noticed a calmer atmosphere, with fewer arguments and more teamwork as they drum, dance, and create together. This positive shift has inspired us to explore more therapeutic activities, giving the youth new ways to express themselves and heal while having fun. Through frequent interactions with the youth on how they feel after each session, we are learning how music and art are supporting their mental wellbeing and how we can make the program even better. "It has been fulfilling seeing the personal growth in the boys over the last months"- Stephen Martey (Drumming Instructor)
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I love the drumming sessions because it gets me active
A truly special moment since beginning these activities was the exhibition at our matriculation and graduation ceremony, where the creativity and talents of our youth were proudly displayed. Those in the drumming and dancing group gave a lively performance, while the art and craft group presented their creative pieces, explaining how each painting reflects Future of Africa’s values of compassion, excellence, courage, community, and citizenship. It was inspiring to see their hard work pay off and a clear reminder of what these youth can achieve, even with just one day of practice each week.
Building on this success, we are excited to expand our music program by training our youth to play a variety of instruments and explore new ways of expressing themselves through music. Our vision is to create a youth brass band that will not only build confidence and discipline but also give our young people a platform to showcase their talent in diverse ways.
3rd October 2025
