Every Saturday, children as young as three years old stream into Bernard Maingi’s art space in the heart of Kibera.
Armed with curiosity, excitement and a heart that won’t quit, they reflect on what they learned the previous weekend.
As the air hums with creativity, they gather around canvases, crayons, pencils, paper and clay, diving into bold strokes of colour, intricate sketches, and richly textured palettes.
At the centre of it all is a man better known by his artistic name, Nard, a self-taught visual artist, who has turned his personal passion into a powerful lifeline for young people in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements.
Nard believes that art is not only just self-expression but also a force for transformation.
“Art is the only way to transform the youth and the entire nation at large. This is my calling, to help green artists explore their skills and to give them a platform to express themselves,” he said during an interview with the Star.
What started in 2018 as a small experiment has since evolved into a full-fledged community initiative.
Nard officially launched his art teaching programme during the Covid-19 pandemic, when schools were closed indefinitely and the future felt uncertain. With children and their parents confined at home, a deep sense of hopelessness gripped the community.
His greatest fear was that young people would be lured into gangs, or fall prey to drugs and alcohol, something he had witnessed while growing up in Kibera. It was also a deep concern for parents and the entire community in the area.
“So many parents had lost their jobs, and others had loved ones battling the disease, and people were sinking into depression at an alarming rate," he says.
"I felt I could give them a break by taking in their kids, keeping them occupied and helping them learn a skill that could one day put food on the table. We were selling hope and many of them really needed it.”
Since then, Nard has mentored more than 10 cohorts, each with no fewer than 10 students. His classes run Monday through Saturday during school holidays, and on weekends when school is in session.
The young learners explore a variety of visual art forms ranging from pencil work and painting to modelling, pottery, and textured impressionism techniques using palette knives.
For older students, sessions often stretch into the evening, offering ample time to truly immerse themselves in their craft.
Though Nard runs the programme independently, he receives vital support from the Kibera Art District and the broader community, which has welcomed his work wholeheartedly.
The students paint murals throughout Kibera, often bold, visual statements carrying powerful social messages. The community now regularly refers talented children to his space whenever they spot one.
“Parents walk in and tell me that the children have a certain artistic talent and ask me to help hone it,” he adds.
One of the programme’s most defining moments came at the height of the pandemic. Nard and his students created Kenya’s first Covid-themed mural, a striking, message-laden piece that quickly went viral and was picked up by media outlets around the world. It was a wake-up call for Nard.
“That’s when I realised that art could pay and it can speak volumes. It can move people far beyond our borders.”
Still, the challenges are real.
“Materials and rent are the biggest struggles. Every time I sell a piece, I have to divide the money between my family’s needs and the art space. And we constantly need supplies to keep the classes going, brushes, paint, paper. It all adds up,” Nard admits.
Despite the hurdles, his impact is visible. Several of his former students have secured positions with NGOs, while others are now earning income through commissioned art. One student has even opened an art space of their own — living proof that creativity can indeed pave the way to opportunity.
“I focus on young adults because many organisations stop at childhood. Once these kids grow older, they’re left on their own,” he explains.
“I want to build an informal school: a full creative hub with visual and performing arts studios, where musicians and actors can come to learn, grow and become masters of their craft.”
In a place too often stereotyped by poverty and crime, Nard’s art space paints a very different picture, one filled with resilience, potential and transformation.
For every child who walks in out of curiosity and leaves with confidence, Kibera gains another brushstroke of hope.
