Water Is Life Steals Art From Kenya, So It Can Give Back Something More

 Water Is Life "steals" from poor people in the destitute Kibera district of Nairobi, Kenya, in an effort to give them back a whole lot more in the humanitarian organization's latest innovative campaign, "Art Heist for Good."

A few years back, when the nonprofit was shooting its "Kenya Bucket List" video, the team toured Kibera, where banners by French artist JR had been installed on local rooftops. The artwork was part of JR's "Women Are Heroes" outdoor exhibition from 2009. Once the exhibition was over, the banners remained on the roofs, providing protection from the sun and rain.

Some of the art, however, was in good enough condition to sell. The locals had no way of doing so—thus, Water Is Life and ad agency Deutsch hatched a plan to remove the banners and auction them off, with funds supporting improvements in the region's sanitation and hydration systems.