President Yoweri Museveni received and hosted 9-year old Kenyan Sheilla Sheldone Charles who called on him at his country home yesterday in Rwakitura, Kiruhuura District.
The young visual artist whose artwork has attracted the attention of many Kenyans as well as global recognition, having started art work at the age of six, was invited to Uganda by President Museveni who been impressed by her art work during Mr. Museveni’s last month’s 3-day State Visit to Kenya that started in Mombasa and ended in Nairobi.
The President welcomed the young talented artist to his home in particular and Uganda in general.
Her mother, Ms. Vivian Adhiambo Atieno and Uganda High Commissioner to Kenya, accompanied her to Rwakitura.
President Museveni expressed happiness that the talent of the Primary 4 schoolgirl in Mombasa under the sponsorship of Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyata, is being natured in the right direction with proper guidance of her parent.
“I glad that she is both in school and nurturing her talent. It is the right direction,” the President told her mother, a Prison warden in Kenya.
Mr. Museveni pledged to build a manageable residential house for the family to enable the young girl along with her father who is a plumber and her mother, look after her properly and enable her grow her God given talent.
The young talented artist, who said she had a passion for art and wanted to promote it by building an Art Centre in the future, appealed to young talented people to embrace education, be humble, respect their parents and elders so as to be guaranteed a prosperous future.
“I have heard of a Ugandan talented musician called Fresh Kid. I would want to advise him to be humble, stay in school and grow his talent with humility and the sky is the limit,” she said.
She expressed gratitude to President Museveni whom she handed portraits of him that she had painted, for his love and generosity and adding that of all the famous people that have appreciated her talent and work its only President Museveni who has invited her to his home.
Mrs. Vivian Adhiambo Atieno, mother to Sheilla Sheldone Charles, appealed to parents of young talented people to be very protective of their children, bearing in mind that they are their first managers, and guard them from exploitation and abuse.
She said that parents should look beyond money when nurturing young talents and ensure that they guide them to live a life that is good today and which holds a lot for the future