Artist Mesgana Reda

Oil painting on Canvas

65 × 60 cm

Meklit’s Story

“My name is Meklit Berhane. I sketched a nurse because I want to become one, a nurse who helps people. I will work hard to achieve my dream. My favorite colors are red and yellow. I want to see my parents happy, and I hope we can go back home and reunite with my friends.”

Art Statement

Meklit’s story is one of resilience, strength, and an unbreakable spirit. She has endured hardships no child should ever face, witnessing the unimaginable horrors of war. Yet, despite the darkness she has known, she remains a beacon of light, her spirit unwavering. The pain of the past has not defined her; instead, it has shaped a strength that refuses to be extinguished. Her smile is not a reflection of the sorrow behind her but a vision of the future ahead. She is not just surviving—she is transforming, turning suffering into hope, fear into courage, and loss into resilience. Meklit embodies the future, where her light will shine even brighter, untouched by the shadows of yesterday. She is not the past’s sorrow but the future’s triumph—a testament to the unyielding power of the human spirit.

Artist Biography

Mesgna Reda Girmai is an artist specializing in realistic painting. Born on December 9, 2000, in Mekelle, he graduated from the College of Arts in Tigray (2017–2020) and is now a full-time painter. His work, spanning both spiritual and secular themes, utilizes oil, acrylic, and watercolor. Mesgna has exhibited in group shows such as "Social Heritage" (2021, Axum and Mekelle), "Ashenda" (2022), and "Archives" (2023). He has participated in various drawing competitions and contributed to children's art therapy programs, using art as a tool for healing and expression.