We go to the desert to find ourselves and to rediscover the long forgotten silence from yesterday.

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On your travels in the Sahara, you might see a mishmash of shapes scattered here and there marking the expanse. What are these? You will be surprised to learn these hand built, ragtag shapes are homes to the Nomads of the Sahara. The Saharan Berbers have used what they have to build a house for sheltering themselves and their animals. But there are struggles in the Sahara we know nothing about.

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How do the Nomads exist? They have almost nothing, and have learned to live this way, moving around the desert, looking for water, green places and better weather for themselves and their animals. In 2023, the context is considerably different. They are challenged with climate change. What this means to these people is that their future is bleak. For the Nomad children, even more bleak. This includes very little access to water.

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The children have very little education, if any at all. They try to earn a small amount of money tending to the tourists needs, or herding goats, sheep or camels. The luckier ones, on the edge of the desert might attend school for a short period of time.

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I personally love the Sahara and the inspiration it feeds my work. I see the Nomads when I visit the desert, and see their struggles. I want to help them. Because I like to paint in the desert, I have decided that these paintings will be sold to tourists. The funds will raise money for a children’s school, an idea of Mohammed Taghlaoui, President of the Tafraouite Sidi All Village Association. I am honoured to be asked to do this and hope I can help in this way.

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Rhonda 2023