Testimony: A Poetry Comic for Schools

Supported by Wales PEN Cymru, and to be published by Why Comics? and PositiveNegatives, this educational comic based on the poetry of Eric Ngalle Charles will show his journey from Cameroon to Wales, exploring storytelling, trauma, and the process of claiming asylum. Illustrated by Nicky Arscott and made in both English and Welsh, the comic will be made available as a free download to schools and organisations across the UK.

We want to raise enough money to cover the translation of the poems into Welsh, the illustration fees, and a professional audio recording of Ngalle performing the piece for use in the classroom. Any money raised beyond our target will be donated to Wales PEN Cymru, and we plan for the finished illustrations to be exhibited further down the line, with any profit from their sale also going to Wales PEN Cymru.

Telling stories through the medium of comics makes them more accessible, encouraging dialogue, empathy, amd a more inclusive classroom environment. The comic will be accompanied by a lesson plan tailored to fit the school curricula in England and Wales, covering subjects such as literature, drama, geography, and media studies.

PositiveNegatives combines ethnographic research with illustration and photography, adapting personal testimonies into art, advocacy and education materials and has worked extensively with a range of organisations such as The Guardian, The Nobel Peace Centre, and the UN. Their sister charity, Why Comics? exists to inspire and engage young people on a range of humanitarian and social issues through innovative educational resources. It's completely free to sign up and receive free downloadable multimedia resources for schools, colleges and universities here: http://www.whycomics.org/ 

Wales PEN Cymru is one of the 145 PEN centres in more than 100 countries across the world. It is affiliated to PEN International which is the leading voice of literature worldwide. PEN promotes literature and defends freedom of expression. It campaigns on behalf of writers around the world who are persecuted, imprisoned, harassed and attacked for what they have written.

Thanks Wales Arts Review and Pen'rallt Gallery Bookshop for your ongoing support. Video credit Peter Scott.