Scratching Beneath the Surface: Creativity and Charity Level the Playing Field

Here’s a coloring trick that probably anyone who has ever been in an art class has tried at some point: Pick out the brightest hues from a box of crayons, use them on a blank sheet of paper, and then completely cover the resulting color explosion with a layer of black ink or paint. As soon as it dries, grab a paper clip or a nail and scratch shapes and patterns into the black layer. The resulting visual treat is breathtaking – sketches made up of multi-colored lines against solid blackness, creating the impression that it was drawn using some sort of rainbow pen. More than just being an interesting and creative use of art tools, however, the process of crayon etching also serves as a reminder that there are some things truly worth digging for, even through the most hopeless layer of darkness.

It’s amazing what one can do with a piece of paper, a box of crayons, and adequate knowledge of how to use those resources. It’s equally amazing how that same lesson can be applied to the greater scheme of things in life: given the right tools and opportunities, everyone can have (and deserves) a shot at self-expression, at making a difference, and most importantly, at succeeding.

I recently joined a group of volunteers from StraightArrow and Getcre8ive who had pledged to hold art and dance classes for the children of Payatas. We drove to the drop-in center of Fairplay for All Foundation (FFA), a charity group focusing on disadvantaged children and passionate about equal opportunities, whether on the football field or in the playing field of life.

Because of the persistent rain and congested traffic, we made it to FFA’s center a bit later than we had expected. Nevertheless, we were welcomed with open arms by Roy Moore, the co-founder of FFA, and greeted by the warm smiles of the children whom my colleagues were to spend time and share their skills and talents with on that evening.

We wasted no time in getting to work. Half of the team headed to the left side of the center to hold modern dance lessons for an energetic crowd of children, while the rest proceeded to the art room, where Payatas’s budding artists were taught how to properly execute crayon etching. As the appointed scribe for that undertaking, I also took photographs and observed how my talented workmates handled their respective classes.

On football, fair play, and fighting the good fight

It was Roy and fellow volunteer Naomi Tomlinson who founded FFA in January 2011. Having had previous involvement in development work in the Philippines, Roy’s eyes were opened to the harsh reality of life in impoverished communities, particularly in Payatas. At the time, buzz about the Azkals (the country’s national male football team) propelled football’s popularity in the country to meteoric heights.

Roy saw this as an opportunity to level the playing field, in more ways than one. He co-founded FFA to run and train a team of young football players (the Payatas FC), as well as establish a drop-in center that serves as a venue for the children to learn new skills, assess their needs, and acquire support for learning before continuing their full-time education.

“[Fairplay’s campaign emphasizes] the idea that football is a level playing field,” says Roy. “It doesn’t matter who your parents are, how much money you have… what matters is when you play football, you’re good at the pitch. And the team who wins is the team who does best on the pitch.”

Whatever limitations the drop-in center had in terms of size and equipment were more than made up for by the tremendous enthusiasm of the children and the positive energy of Roy and the rest of the FFA volunteers.

After the lessons concluded, the children bid us farewell with bright and grateful faces, looking forward to their next lecture session with us. All of a sudden, spending all that time stuck in traffic under the unrelenting pattering of raindrops felt absolutely worth it.

StraightArrow Corporation is well-known for bridging the gap between its clients and customers. Thanks to our partnership with FFA, however, I learned that StraightArrow is not just committed to growing online communities. StraightArrow is also committed to finding new ways to take a paper clip and start scratching.