Three powerful stories from Mali and Congo: ZAM and DOEN give local journalists a platform
How do you get a real honest picture of the projects you support when you live thousands of kilometres away and have limited knowledge of the context and customs of an area? ZAM Magazine and the DOEN Foundation joined forces to find an answer. They asked local journalists from Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to write three articles about social art practices supported by DOEN in Africa. These journalists have intimate knowledge of the context and were thus able to produce powerful, socially relevant stories about the projects and the impact they are making.
A fairer and more inclusive view of Africa
The articles were written by journalists and photographers from ZAM Magazine. ZAM provides a creative platform for African thinkers, artists and journalists in Amsterdam. ZAM’s network of African creatives is committed to democratic change and works on innovative solutions to global issues. ZAM regards its projects as the driving force behind building a new relationship of equality and justice between Europe and Africa.
Journalists visited three cultural initiatives in Mali and the DRC and spoke not only with the initiators but also with participants and other stakeholders in the projects. The articles show how art is used to engage communities and facilitate discussions about alternative perspectives.
Anw Jigi Art
Anw Jigi Art is a Malian theatre collective that collaborates with uneducated women and young people in Bamako. Their performances arise from conversations with local residents about their lives, dreams and challenges. Throughout the year, they provide workshops and training courses in which participants learn to express themselves through theatre. In so doing, Anw Jigi Art uses art as a force to connect communities and drive social change.
Read ZAM's article about Anw Jigi Art
CATPC
CATPC is a Congolese artists’ collective of former plantation workers. They create art to raise global awareness about exploitation, colonial inequality and land grabbing. With the proceeds from their critical art, they buy back depleted plantation land. There they focus on sustainable agriculture and the restoration of biodiversity in what they call the “post plantation”, thus combining art, community power and ecological restoration.
Read ZAM's article about CATPC
Kuma So
Kuma So is a group of young artists and makers from Mali. They work closely with local women’s groups to bring about meaningful change within the community. Kuma So’s challenge in Mali is to raise awareness and help people hold the authorities accountable, without this being viewed as a rebellion.
Read ZAM's article about Kuma So“These partnerships provide valuable insights into the social art practices that the DOEN Foundation supports, the impact they make and the local context in which they work. At the same time, this increases the visibility of our international cultural partners and gives them the platform they deserve.”
Emma Hogendorp, programme manager, the DOEN Foundation