The Rotary clubs in New Zealand’s Districts have joined forces to raise funds for polio eradication, with the support of a group of talented local artists.
The Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association (MFPA) is an international registered society of disabled artists who, stricken with disease, accident or birth deformities that resulted in the unfortunate loss or use of their arms, create paintings by holding the paint brushes clenched with their teeth or held between their toes.
With over 800 artists from 74 countries, the MFPA instils in its artists a sense of self-respect and dignity that comes from earning an independent, honest, and secure livelihood through the sale of their artwork. The roots of the MFPA go back to 1956, when Erich Stegmann, a polio-stricken mouth painter, gathered a small band of disabled artists from eight European countries. This organisation has now grown and forms a great partnership here in New Zealand.
One of the main themes of Stegmann’s credo was that the MFPA must never be regarded as a charity simply because its members are disabled. To Stegmann, the word “charity” was as abhorrent as the word “pity”. And thus, to this day MFPA’s motto worldwide remains as “self-help, not charity”.
Now, to support Rotary’s goal of eradicating polio worldwide and World Polio Day on October 24, 9 MFPA artists from New Zealand have donated their art for auction.
“This provides you with a very special opportunity to bid for one of these framed art pieces and become part of the global drive to eradicate polio,”
The funds that are raised via this auction minus a small amount of expenses we hope will raise greater than $5,000.
All proceeds from the auction will go to the End Polio Now campaign.
For more on the artists and the auction links to bid, visit
Kindest regards,
Allan
District 9920 - Governor Nominee 2020/21
Area Governor 2020/2021
District 9920 Public Image Chair 2020/21
021 959 397