The Goals of Sa-K-La-K-Wel

The inner courtyard of Sa-K-La-K-Wel

Sa-K-La-K-Wel is an arts based community center in Oban, Haiti.  Our focus has been to create opportunities for cross cultural partnerships by identifying leaders in the community and pairing them with international artists to collaborate on methods and curriculum.  The first phase of Sa-K-La-K-Wel is a five year endeavor.  Over the course of that Five years the center will be increasingly owned and operated by the community itself.  By 2016 Sa-K-La-K-Wel will be gifted to the community of Oban.

• Create Cross-Cultural, Interdisciplinary Classes and Collaborations That Foster Reciprocal Mentorship Between Artists, and Create Opportunity for Travel   Bringing artists to Haiti is already part of of what we do, but looking forward, we intend to create opportunities for artist exchanges that work both ways.
  

• Stimulate the local economy   International in-kind donations are welcomed, but Sa-K-La-K-Wel will make every effort to obtain supplies in Haiti first.

• Reflect Local Traditions   All satellite programs will be lead or overseen by Haitian partners.  When possible, genre specific programs will seek out instructors and create opportunity for “sister classes” that reflect local tradition.

• Be a Source of Stability    The goal is staying power. We wish for Sa-K-La-K-Wel to be a resource for generations to come.  Every effort will be made so that day to day activities can run with or without the help of outside aid and foreign presence.  This is achieved through a focus of financial autonomy between the programs offered at the school and a sincere and on-going effort to undergird each program with sustainable economic resources found in the community.