In December, we participated in the panel “Different abilities, same opportunities” at the 2016 International Festival of Social Innovation (Fiis), sharing our experience with the project “The Art Within Me”, a stigma-free space where talent and mental health are the main focus.

We created this art and social inclusion project during 2016, in collaboration with the Ayllu corporate volunteering program from Backus. The objective of this initiative is to promote empowerment and strengthen the social skills of people living with mental health conditions through the creation of spaces for art and creativity.

During 2016, in partnership with the Hermilio Valdizán Hospital and a civil association dedicated to mental health, we had 32 participating artists in the project. They created more than 100 artworks using painting on canvas and woodcut techniques. Likewise, we were able to involve more than 60 volunteers from Backus and De-mentes in the project, promoting our message of equality and social inclusion among them.

This 2017, we will continue developing this wonderful project. Stay tuned to our updates to learn more about it! ♥