Learning Without Limits | VIVA LA VIDA × SAGA Starlight Ward School

On 8 February 2026, an online gathering bridged the distance as VIVA delivered an art class themed ‘Learning Knows No Boundaries’ to children with leukaemia supported by SAGA. Through their ‘Drawings of Life’, the children showed us that education knows no limits, and that every life deserves to be gently illuminated.

We believe that life should not be confined by a single definition; particularly in children, that innate curiosity and love for the world possess immense power to overcome adversity.

1. Drawing from the Heart: Seeing the True Nature of Life

At the start of the event, VIVA gently introduced its organisational philosophy to the children, breaking down any sense of distance through light-hearted interaction. During the guidance for creating ‘Drawings of Life’, the teacher encouraged the children to let go of their shyness and capture the life, nature and beauty within their hearts on their small sheets of paper. There were no right answers and no technical constraints; all that was required was a sincere expression of themselves.

As their pencils touched the paper and colours blended, the children’s focused expressions were particularly moving. With their childlike strokes, they sketched out their own unique visions of life.

2. Tranquillity Amidst Adversity, and the Joy of Connecting with Nature

During the creation and sharing session, two young children presented worlds that, whilst vastly different in their eyes, were equally rich and vibrant.

Zhou Junru’s drawing captured a serene and beautiful afternoon. She depicted a lady living in a house on the grasslands, leisurely hanging out pillows and small quilts to dry. The colours were soft, and the atmosphere peaceful. She shared a particularly touching detail with us: ‘Look, there’s a little bird flying past; it’s happily greeting the lady.’ Sunshine, a gentle breeze, crisp linens and friendly creatures all come together to compose her beautiful world. This tender observation of life allows us to glimpse the tenderness and clarity within a child’s heart.

Another child, meanwhile, captured a marvellous discovery from a picnic in her drawing: a ladybird with ‘wavy’ markings. She excitedly explained that the ladybird’s markings were not the usual dots, but rather as lively as waves, and she had deliberately and skilfully linked the ladybird’s markings to the pattern on her trousers. In her world, nature’s little surprises are closely intertwined with the small details of daily life; everything can become a source of inspiration, brimming with childlike innocence and ingenuity.

3. Nurturing Boundless Growth

Screens will go dark, and lessons will come to an end. But those ‘drawings of life’ captured by the paintbrush—the gentle breeze on the grasslands, the peculiar ladybird, and the children’s sparkling eyes behind the artwork—will endure forever. No matter one’s physical circumstances, the ability to observe life, the power of imagination, and the longing for beauty and connection will never be easily restricted. They are always there, like seeds; with just a little sunlight and water, they can sprout from the earth and reveal their inherent splendour.

Every person deserves to be seen.

Every form of life holds boundless potential.

About the Organisation

Viva la Vida (VIVA) is a cross-cultural arts brand operating in over 60 countries worldwide, dedicated to documenting life stories through art, promoting cross-cultural understanding and social welfare. We invite people from diverse cultural backgrounds to answer the question ‘What is your life?’ through a painting, thereby documenting a variety of life stories and fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Over the past seven years, VIVA has collaborated with organisations such as the United Nations, Coca-Cola and Tencent to organise more than 400 events and collect over 20,000 life portraits, transforming individual expression into a bridge for cultural dialogue.

SAGA・Starlight is an online educational charity programme for children with leukaemia and other serious illnesses. It is part of the online educational charity programme run by the Hong Kong-based charity BTP, and has been quietly supporting children undergoing treatment ever since its inception. Over the past five years, we have brought together more than 900 volunteers from 62 universities worldwide to deliver over 7,000 online lessons to more than 600 children, building an online learning community just for them through the power of love.