"Africa has numerous types of attractions that are worthy to be preserved for current and future generations.

Damaged environments need to be restored: but the ones which cannot be brought back to life must be painted as a way to try to tell this new, and future, generation about how the past beauty of our continent was."

"The fifth of seven children, it was when, on my mother’s back taking me through the forest to our little farm, that I first became aware of nature around me. I was a very observant child. At the age of 5 I started drawing what I had seen in the sand outside our home.

Then came the magic of coloured pencils and crayons putting the mystery of nature around me onto paper. The next big step was when I painted a sign showing the direction of our latrine!

I then started to create patterns and made stencils which I used to decorate garments like white shirts, trousers and capes. People started coming to have their own clothes decorated, which gave me a little income to help my parents with my school uniform and buying shoes.

My father purchased some tools and I taught myself carpentry which I enjoy and which now helps me make stretchers for my canvas paintings.

After completing my secondary education I was selected to join an art college, but finances were a problem. Instead I went to Njombe in the southern highlands to paint.

I returned to Iringa to do a two-year course in Painting Decoration & Sign-writing with the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA)."

"I am eternally grateful to two American Peace Corps volunteers, Gudrun Gunther and Tina Silva. Not only did they encourage me to believe in myself, they helped me enormously with funds and encouraging sales of my work.

Through their generosity I did a short course at the Bagamoyo Institute of Arts, graduating with a Diploma In Visual And Performing Arts, majored in Fine arts, and studied Drama.

Through Tina, and whilst teaching at the Igoda Children’s Village in Mufindi, I met Anne Pearson, a director of the African Book Box Society.

This amazing American organisation not only gives books to children in Tanzania and Kenya but they also help with education, health and vocational training. They are my sponsors and help me with rent and fees as I am studying at the Open University of Tanzania, pursuing a degree in Tourism Management."

"Yes, I have helped at Igoda Children Village and the school in Mufundi, I was at Majengo Children’s home at Mto wa Mby last year, and often when I am in Arusha, where my little studio is, I teach young people."

"My studio is at home – actually the home has become a studio – and I go there whenever I can to see my wife and where I can concentrate on painting. My children are away at colleges now. In Arusha I have two rooms in which I live, paint and teach in."

"In life, every human being should remember to educate himself/herself to the utmost point so as to go parallel with an advancing complex world. To learn something new enables one to perform life in different ways in a sophisticated form so adding value to the service one offers. I enjoy learning about a great number of things."

"Well, fitting in painting, teaching children and studying, as well as being a family man, I am kept very busy. Taking Tanzania to the world through my art is a very important part of my life, so I hope that the future continues to be as kind to me as it is now - and I have time to paint!"

"My advice to emerging artists is that they must realize art is not easy. It requires time, utmost discipline, respect, hard work and concentration. Many emerging artists are being defeated by these factors.

When preparing art, an artist should not think about money he/she will get. This will reduce the quality of any artwork. "Doing art for the sake of art" …this will automatically create beauty that attracts people to buy your piece of art and give you inner satisfaction."

"I wanted to include both my parent’s first names in honour of their contribution. CHA stands for me (Charles), S for Samson my father, A for Atusungukye for my mother, and KI for Kiswaga – our lineage – thus CHASAKI.

I will always remember being on my mother’s back roaming through thick forests, plains and the mountains, during sunrises and sunsets – the essence of many of my paintings."