We were deeply moved by how many children in South Sudan have to walk long distances everyday—with some taking over 4 hours—just to reach school, at times doing so with bare feet. We reflected on our journeys to school everyday—a simple 15-minute car ride, a short walk with comfortable shoes—and realised how privileged we truly are. We were thus inspired to create a piece to hopefully better connect and empathise with our overseas Lasallian brothers and sisters.

 

We decided to paint four different feet, each our own. The prominence of these four footsteps mirror how the few steps we take are significant to us, yet they are nothing compared to what these South Sudanese children, who take thousands more footsteps each day, experience. We used elements of aboriginal African art to symbolise all the African children who do not have the privilege that we do, recognising that this is an important issue that affects millions. Although we may never meet the children of La Salle Secondary School directly, we hope that this piece will show our wish to connect with them and bring hope to their journeys.