Painting Zainab: The Power of Care, courage, and Color

When I first learned about Zainab, a nurse from rural Sierra Leone, I was deeply moved. Her story represents everything that inspires my work as an artist; resilience, service, and the unspoken strength of women who carry communities on their shoulders.

Through my recent collaboration with CARE.org and their global Who Cares? Campaign, I had the honor of creating a painting that celebrates Zainab’s story and the vital role care workers play around the world.

This project reminded me that art is not just about creating something beautiful; it’s about creating something meaningful.

Meeting Zainab Through Story

Zainab is a nurse in the village of Mayossah, Sierra Leone, a place where access to healthcare is scarce and maternal mortality rates remain among the highest in the world. Yet within those challenging conditions, Zainab has built something extraordinary, a safe haven for mothers and babies.

Despite limited resources, she has not lost a single mother under her care. Her compassion and determination have transformed her clinic into a place of hope and healing.

When I read her story, I could see her fully. Not just in words, but in color, light, and movement. I wanted my painting to capture her joy and humility, her quiet strength, and the warmth she brings to every life she touches.

Read More about Zainab: https://www.care.org/news-and-stories/cradle-of-courage-a-lone-nurse-in-sierra-leone-bringing-new-life-into-the-world/

The Creative Process: Turning Story Into Symbolism

Every brushstroke in this painting was layered with intention. I began by centering Zainab’s portrait in a soft pink; the color of compassion, femininity, and care. Her uniform, rendered in deep magenta tones, became a symbol of her courage and the love she pours into her work each day.

Behind her, I painted a radiant orange circle, glowing like the African sun, a visual metaphor for her light and the life she brings into the world. And the spotlight that CARE.ORG has place on Zainab. The circle also represents wholeness and unity, a halo of care surrounding her and the women she serves.

The background features faint silhouettes of mothers and children — the community she nurtures, standing together as living proof of her impact. Vertical indigo and green stripes draw inspiration from traditional Sierra Leonean “country cloth”, handwoven textiles that represent strength, continuity, and connection. I wanted those lines to symbolize the threads of care that hold us all together.

This fusion of realism and symbolism mirrors my own artistic journey — where storytelling, color, and meaning become inseparable.

The Collaboration: Why It Matters

Working with CARE.org on this project has been a powerful reminder that art can amplify voices that deserve to be heard. The Who Cares? Campaign highlights care workers whose invisible labor sustains families, communities, and economies.

For me, this collaboration bridges two worlds I deeply value: the creative and the humanitarian.

It’s where art meets advocacy.

It’s about using my platform to not only paint beauty but also to tell stories that move people toward empathy, awareness, and change.

Zainab’s portrait isn’t just a painting; it’s a thank-you.

A tribute to every woman who shows up every day to care for others, often without recognition or rest. It’s also a reflection of what I believe art should do: illuminate the human spirit.

A Personal Reflection

As I worked on this piece, I found myself thinking about the deeper meaning of care and how it extends beyond profession or place. Whether it’s a nurse in Sierra Leone, a mother caring for her child, or an artist pouring love into her canvas, care is universal.

It’s the thread that connects us from the clinic in Mayossah to my studio in Cleveland.

This collaboration reminded me that compassion is a creative force. It builds, heals, and transforms. And just like paint on canvas, it has the power to leave a lasting mark.

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Final Thoughts

I’m grateful to CARE.org and the Who Cares? Global Campaign for inviting me into this important conversation; one that celebrates the people who hold the world together with care.

Through Zainab’s story and this painting, I hope viewers see the beauty of service, the strength of women, and the light that shines through compassion.

Because at the heart of it all, care is art... and art, in its truest form, cares back.

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Stay the path. Trust the process. Paint the story.

-Stina