Est. 2023 · Namatala, Mbale Uganda

Art for Healing.
Art for Hope.

A community-driven creative space in the heart of Namatala transforming young lives through the power of art, compassion, and human connection.

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Empowering 200+ Young People

Where Talent Meets
Opportunity

Two free weekly art sessions, education support, and skills training giving every young person in Namatala the tools to build a better future.

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Community · Culture · Change

Art for Change.
Art for Every Child.

We believe creativity belongs to everyone. No barriers, no fees, no exclusions just paint, passion, and the will to transform lives together.

Get Involved Meet Our Team

200+

Young People Reached

500+

Event Attendees

Years of Impact

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Who We Are

Where Creativity Transforms Lives

3+Years of Impact

Our Story

Born from Passion,
Built for Community

The Neighbourhood Art Hub provides a safe and creative space for vulnerable young people and mothers in the Namatala slums of Eastern Uganda. Through art, counseling, and community engagement, we equip individuals with tools for healing, self-expression, and empowerment helping them process their stories, build confidence, and reimagine their futures.

Core Values

Sustainability
Empowerment
Creativity
Partnership
Community
Compassion

🖌️

John Paul Ojirot

Founder & Creative Director Neighbourhood Art Hub / Dream House Foundation

What We Do

Programs & Activities

Our programs address poverty, mental health, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and substance abuse using art as the primary tool for empowerment.

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Colors & Brushes: Paint for a Preemie

Our flagship annual event every November brings together over 500 people to raise awareness about preterm births and generate vital support for premature babies and their families in the neonatal unit.

The event is the heart of our year a powerful community gathering that turns art into advocacy.

🎗️ Annual Flagship

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Free Creative Sessions

Two free weekly art sessions open to young people, building skills, resilience, and mental well-being through creative expression.

🔄 Ongoing

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World AIDS Day Sessions

Special painting sessions for young people living with HIV/AIDS to boost confidence, reduce stigma, and improve mental health.

📅 Annual

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Education Support

Providing school tuition and supplies to 20+ vulnerable children, keeping them in school and helping them build brighter futures.

📚 Scholarship

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Menstrual Hygiene & Empowerment

30+ young women trained to produce and sell reusable sanitary pads promoting dignity, health, and economic opportunity.

💪 Empowerment

Our Direction

Mission, Vision & Values

Our Mission

To empower young people in Namatala slum by providing a free, inclusive, accessible creative space where creativity knows no bounds, with art as a unifying force.

Our Vision for the Future

Every child deserves the chance to discover what they're capable of. We believe every child has a dream for a better future but we also know that not every child in Namatala slum is meant to be an artist. Some are natural craftsmen. Some are born tailors. Some are fashion designers waiting to be discovered. Without a platform to explore these talents, that potential can go unseen and unrealized.

That's why our long-term goal is to build a permanent home for the Neighbourhood Art Hub: a community art and craft school in Namatala slum, purpose-built to give young people space to learn, create, and grow. Designed to accommodate over 100 young people at once, this future facility will expand far beyond painting and drawing, offering training in craftsmanship, tailoring, fashion design, and other creative trades giving each child a genuine chance to find and pursue the path that's right for them.

This isn't just about a building. It's about giving an entire community of young people a permanent platform to discover their abilities, build real skills, and shape a future they choose for themselves.

Healing Through Art

Radical Inclusion

Community First

Youth Empowerment

Social Change

Free Access for All

The People Behind the Paint

Meet Our Team

Four passionate individuals who believe art is a universal language and that every child in Namatala deserves to speak it.

John Paul Ojirot

Founder & Creative Director

A visionary artist and community builder who founded the Hub in 2023, turning an idea into a movement that has touched hundreds of young lives in Namatala.

🎨 Visual Arts & Leadership

Gwali Yasin

Art Hub Coordinator

Passionate about fostering creative environments, Gwali is experienced in maintaining safe, clean, and well-organized spaces for the Hub's community.

🧭 Hub Coordination

Anna Beatrice Apolot

Treasurer & Secretary

Anna is a dedicated community leader serving as both Treasurer and Secretary. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for the arts, she ensures the Hub's financial operations run smoothly while expertly managing records and communications.

📒 Finance & Records

Oumo Ben

Artist Teacher

Ben is one of the Neighbourhood Art Hub's young teachers and one of our most talented artists. What started as his own journey through the Hub's programs has grown into a role as a mentor, guiding the next generation of young artists in the very community that first inspired him.

💪 Women & Girls Programs

Voices from the Community

What People Say

Real words from the young people, parents, volunteers, and partners whose lives have been touched by the Neighbourhood Art Hub.

★★★★★

"Before I found the Hub, I didn't believe I had any talent. Now I paint every week and I've sold three pieces. This place didn't just teach me art it taught me that I matter."

Abigail Nakato

Youth Participant, age 17 Namatala

★★★★★

"Paint for a Preemie was one of the most moving events I've ever attended. I had no idea 500 people would come together through art to support premature babies. The energy was indescribable."

Dr. David Mukholi

Paediatrician, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital

★★★★★

"My daughter used to come home silent. After three months at the Hub she won't stop talking about colours, ideas, and her paintings. Art gave her a voice I didn't know she had."

Margaret Anyait

Parent Namatala Community

★★★★★

"The creation of art is part of what makes humans different from other animals. It allows us to express our emotions and thoughts. It is vital for everyone to have the chance to make art regardless of their economic circumstances. The satisfaction one gets after making a piece of art is such a wonderful feeling! I'm happy to support this program."

Dawn Marie Cutaia

Supporter & Donor

★★★★★

"The sanitary pad-making program changed everything for me. I now have an income, dignity, and confidence. John Paul and the team believed in us when no one else did."

Faith Chemutai

Women's Empowerment Graduate Namatala

★★★★★

"I'm proud to have been a small part of giving the gift of art to those who want and need to express themselves. The Neighborhood Art Hub is vital to those who have the most need."

Kathryn Reis

Supporter & Donor

Neighbourhood Art Hub

Monthly Community Event

Colors & Brushes:
Paint for a Preemie

Colors & Brushes is our community art gathering held every last Saturday of the month at Elgon Museum. Once a year, every November, it becomes our flagship Paint for a Preemie edition bringing together hundreds of hearts, hands, and brushes to raise awareness and vital support for premature babies in Mbale.

Every Last Saturday of the Month Elgon Museum, Mbale Paint for a Preemie Every November 500+ Attendees at Preemie Edition

What It Is

A Community United by Art

Colors & Brushes is our recurring community art gathering, held every last Saturday of the month at Elgon Museum. It is a space for artists, community members, and families to paint together, share stories, and build connection through creativity.

Once a year, every November coinciding with World Prematurity Awareness Month Colors & Brushes becomes Paint for a Preemie, our flagship edition. It brings together artists, community members, health workers, students, parents, children, and dignitaries to paint together, raise awareness about preterm births, and generate critical support for premature babies and their families at the neonatal unit of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

Community painting together at Colors & Brushes

Last SaturdayEvery Month

When

Every last Saturday of the month and Paint for a Preemie edition every November

Where

Elgon Museum, Mbale City, Uganda

Participation

Open to all, families welcome

Gallery

Moments from Colors & Brushes

A glimpse of the community coming together brushes, colours, and connection at every edition.

Our History

Previous Editions

Scroll sideways to browse editions this list grows every year.

2023

The Beginning

Our inaugural event brought together over 200 people, planting a seed of community hope.

200+ AttendeesInaugural Edition

2024

Growing Together

500+ participants, a formal health awareness programme, and a live art auction raising funds for NICU families.

500+ AttendeesArt Auction Added

2025

A New Chapter

School partnerships, media coverage, and a collaborative mural now adorning Mbale NICU wing.

Hospital MuralSchool Partnerships

Thank You

Our Partners & Supporters

Join Us for Paint for a Preemie 2026

Every brush stroke you make helps a premature baby breathe a little easier and gives a family a little more hope.

Art for Healing.
Art for Hope.

Where Talent Meets
Opportunity

Art for Change.
Art for Every Child.