Art can have emotional impact. For ten Christel House South Africa (CHSA) students facing challenges at home and in the classroom, art can also be therapeutic. Working as a team, the children painted an inspiring Mural of Hope for their classmates.The colorful artwork, located at the entrance to the school’s library, includes a powerful message – “This daisy is a pledge to new beginnings...we bloom where we are planted.” CHSA’s Social Services department partnered with Sp(i)eel, a creative arts therapies collective in South Africa, to create a unique art project for CHSA students. Eugenia Dlodlo-Sibanda, Dean of Student Development, says students received valuable insights through working on the project. “Art therapy helps learners tap into their inner thoughts, their feelings and experiences,” she says. “With counselling, children experiencing trauma can use art to deal with strong emotions.” Tamika L., a student-artist, is proud of the results. “To me, the mural represents how children can work together to create something beautiful,” she says.