Chicago Public Schools kids thrilled to collaborate on art project with women in South Africa

Some Chicago Public Schools students are collaborating with female artists in South Africa on a project with a global scale.

Second, third, and fifth graders at Hamilton Elementary School, at 1650 W. Cornelia Ave. in West Lakeview, are excited to build connections with women 8,000 miles away.

“It’s fun to make, because it represents the people of Africa,” said Frankie Adkison, 8, a second grader at the school.

The grade school students in the ArtLab at Hamilton have been collaborating remotely with a group of women artists from The Heartfelt Project in South Africa.

The Heartfelt Project was born from personal tragedy. Martha Letsoalo started the project after her son, Emanuel, died in prison at the age of 25 after being wrongly accused and abused, according to the website for the project. A corrupt attorney stole the little money that Letsoalo had, and with no job opportunities, she turned to crafts and design as a way to survive, the website said.

The project was transformed into a collective of women handcrafting felt artwork that reflects resilience, culture, and community.

CBS News Chicago spoke with the director who lives in South Africa.

“We are so, so happy for the opportunity to share our skill with the community out of our country,” said Charlene Mphuloane, director of The Heartfelt Project.

Liz Hay is the school’s ArtLab Parent Volunteer. Her cousin works for Heartfelt, and she thought it would be an amazing opportunity for the kids to connect with South African craftswomen.

“They’re really taken it to heart,” Hay said, “and it’s built this sort of wonderful love across the borders. They’ve never met people before, but instantly there’s a community between us and Heartfelt.”

The hands-on experience introduces children to global creative traditions, builds fine motor skills, and celebrates the power of connection and compassion through craft.

“They’re gaining like this knowledge. They’re gaining confidence. They’re seeing that they’re able to produce and make a product out of something else that wasn’t existing before,” said Dr. Kristin Blathras, principal of Hamilton Elementary Principal.

This Friday, the school will host its first Global Arts Fair as a way to celebrate culture, creativity, and community at Hamilton. The students’ artwork will be on display, but the ladies in South Africa who created these stuffed toys and other products will be up for sale.