The Art Heist For Good is a project that set out on a mission to take some of this art, sell it to the highest bidder and use the money to provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene solutions to the people of Kibera who desperately needed it.

Stealing The Art

WATERisLIFE traveled into Kibera and took these famous art pieces. Each piece was exchanged for a brand new metal corrugated roof that would protect the residents from the harsh Kenyan elements.

Selling The Art

Once safely back in the US, we began our search for an art dealer. Eventually we found two. With the help of Julien’s Auction House, WATERisLIFE auctioned off the pieces from the Kibera collection. 

Giving The Money Back

The proceeds from the auctions were able to put the financial equivalent of 30,000 daily salaries into Kibera as well as enough clean water and sanitation practices to help the community for years to come.

With the proceeds from the auctions, we were able to put the financial equivalent of 30,000 daily salaries into Kibera as well as enough clean water and sanitation practices to help the community for years to come.

Art Heist for Good was a one of a kid response-driven idea that helped build a lasting relationship between the people of Kibera and WATERisLIFE. The project achieved meaningful results without using the routine “ask for donations” approach most charities use today.

Unlike most charity advertising, we didn’t need to ask for donations. We didn’t need to lie about a billion media impressions either. We simply found something of value in one of the worst places in the world and used it to make a direct impact.

In 2009, acclaimed street artist JR placed murals on the rooftops of Kibera, Kenya – Africa’s largest and most dangerous slum – gaining international fame in the process. As his fame grew, so did the value of the artwork, with estimations reaching over $160,000. And people who made less than one dollar a day lived under million dollar roofs ever since.