Since 2009, the project by the Windepkpe association has centred around preserving Benin’s textile and clothing heritage. The ultimate goal is to showcase Benin’s artistic potential, preserve its heritage, share its expertise and make its culture a real driver for economic and social development.
To showcase this rich textile heritage, the association organises the “Koubourou Fashion Days”, an event that highlights Beninese woven pagnes or wrappers, which are emblematic of the country’s textile traditions.
This Conservatory is a cultural industry in its own right and meets a dual objective: to help the people of Benin reclaim ownership of their textile and clothing heritage through the Museum of Textile Art and encourage reproduction and sales through the craft space, to ensure that these cultural treasures are never forgotten.
The Fondation Zinsou aims to provide solutions for the lack of artistic practice and overcome a lack of awareness of contemporary art. This work meets a dual objective: to support artists and help the public to become accustomed to visiting exhibitions and museums. Among its various achievements, in 2013 the association founded the first contemporary art museum in tropical Africa, and also works on producing and holding exhibitions, organising artist residencies, as well as a host of other initiatives.
Convinced that everything begins at a very young age, the foundation aims to help children become familiar with artworks and try out different artistic activities, with a view to contributing to their cultural awareness as well as uncovering future talents. The “Petits Pinceaux” (“Little Paintbrushes”) workshop is the result of this conviction, aimed at children aged 5 to 13, which gives them an introduction to contemporary art through free creative workshops run by cultural educators and artists.
In order to overcome the obstacle of inaccessibility, the foundation has set up the “cultural bus”, a vehicle acquired thanks to support from sponsors, which provides free transport for pupils of over 300 schools.
“Sete Sóis Sete Luas” (Seven Suns Seven Moons) is a Lusophone and Mediterranean festival organised in 30 towns in 12 different countries to promote the diversity and originality of musical cultures. The association aims to create original artistic productions involving Cape Verdean musicians and to promote international mobility for these musicians.
The project consists of creating 4 cultural centres dedicated to protecting, promoting and disseminating traditional music on all the Cape Verde islands. 16 musicians (4 per island) will be trained to manage the centres as cooperatives and offer programmes featuring traditional music, gastronomy, teaching workshops and cultural tourism.
The dance company “Les Pieds dans La Mare” aims to reintegrate young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods through dance and give them a tool to exist. Every year, the company supports over 23 young people by giving them free comprehensive dance training, as well as general education and art-based work.
The company would like to establish a multidisciplinary research/creation/action programme to reactivate the memory of the slave trade in Côte d'Ivoire. This memory work will involve collecting testimony, working with local artists and traditions and putting on performances and workshops for residents, and will culminate in the creation of a dance show, a documentary web series and a music album.
The “Au Nom Du Slam” collective was formed in 2014 by the 10 finalists of the international slam competition “The Spoken Word Project”. This cultural and artistic association aims to promote slam and raise awareness through this practice.
BABI SLAM is an international slam festival in Abidjan, the 7th edition of which will take place in 2023. It was founded by the “Au Nom Du Slam” collective with a view to elevating the practice of slam and raising awareness on matters of public interest. It aims to promote a change in behaviour among populations for a fairer, more tolerant and more environmentally-conscious society.
The association Africadoc Côte d'Ivoire, founded in 2012, aims to showcase creative documentary film in Côte d’ivoire. To this end, it organises activities tailored to the needs of professionals (workshops, gatherings, masterclasses) and screens documentary films in primary schools, high schools and universities to raise the profile of African documentary cinema.
The project Impala Afrique de l’Ouest seeks to boost the competitiveness of the documentary cinema sector by supporting creation and production, as well as facilitating access to markets. It includes writing and production workshops for 10 young authors and 10 young producers, led by experienced tutors.
Located in the municipality of Cocody, in Côte d'Ivoire, IvoiRégiE is a cultural enterprise working with women and young people in three key fields: culture, digital and the environment. Its vision is to qualitatively transform human territories through poetry, a vehicle for identity and values that constitutes a means for cultural integration, a tool for enhancement and an instrument of economic and social promotion.
The Popodipo project was created with a view to promoting and developing poetry from sub-Saharan Africa. More than just a project, Popodipo is a state of mind that unites and inspires, focusing on several themes: the economic and social promotion of women, solidarity and mentoring for young people and cultural regional development.
In concrete terms, the project intends to showcase 50 selected sub-Saharan poets on an interactive web platform and mobile application. There is also an entertaining board game that offers a fun way to familiarise the general public with poetry. Poetry recitals, giant portrait and poetry text installations, poetry frescoes on the walls of buildings and poetic stall dressings are among the actions carried out on a daily basis by IvoiRégiE.
Unalterable sources of learning, passed down through word of mouth from parent to child, countless African stories, genuine oral treasures, are threatened with oblivion due to a lack of conservation means. The GRoupe Efrouba pour la Culture (Efrouba Group for Culture, GREC) was born out of this observation, led by a group of writers in Grand-Lahou, Côte d'Ivoire. It is committed to showcasing oral heritage through the promotion of national storytellers.
The aim of the “Faim de contes” (roughly “Hungry for stories”) project is to act quickly in order to compile these wonderful African stories inherited from our ancestors and record them to media for future generations.
6 books have already been published and are available to purchase, and the NGO aims to expand the “Faim de contes” collection with 10 new books of Ivorian stories this year. To maximise the distribution media, the project also includes the audio and audiovisual transcription of the books.
The Association Jeunesse Unie et Développement Durable (United Youth Association for Sustainable Development - AJUDD) is an organisation governed by national law in Burkina Faso, founded in 2019. The AJUDD aims to set an example for young people in terms of solidarity, patriotism and citizenship. Its key mission is to strive for more responsible, more civic-minded and more united young people.
Its main aim is to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The AJUDD also strives for access to healthcare, quality education, the promotion of cultural and environmental entrepreneurship, the prevention of gender-based violence and the promotion of human rights.
The cultural association Koumakan was founded in Conakry in 2017 to promote creativity as a driving force for development. Koumakan is one of Guinea’s most dynamic cultural associations, with over 10 years of experience in the cultural sector!
The project aims to give Guinean school pupils a grounding in their culture by helping them learn about and practise storytelling. It raises awareness among teachers about the role of storytelling in the transmission of culture and values, and gives pupils a greater understanding of Guinea’s oral tradition, as well as a renewed interest in reading.