The Yawoa Foundation, founded by Estelle Dogbo in Nigeria & Togo, has recently expanded into Francophone Africa and launched “Dreamy Memory”, a caritative project using the arts to positively impact women's lives. With the support of Ellipse Art Projects, the concept started the production and exhibition of a portfolio of exclusive photographs created by Togolese emerging artist Parmenas Awudza, who was selected for his original and immersive work, and his sensitivity towards female empowerment. The works will then be showcased in Lome, and sold for the benefit of female patients of a neonatal unit at the CHU in Lomé, in order to contribute to their healthcare needs.
The Pan-African Yawoa Foundation is devoted to fostering the growth of emerging artists from Africa and its diaspora, by offering them visibility platforms and welfare programs. In tandem with this objective, we undertake meaningful charitable endeavours aimed at uplifting marginalized and vulnerable communities.
What makes this launch special is the uniqueness of the Dreamy Memory caritative project and its ability to harness the power of creativity and the arts to positively impact human capital indices in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Besides the platform for the visibility it provides the artist, this initiative uses the revenue generated by a creative project to provide financial assistance to vulnerable populations. This is a proof of concept that creativity, art and artistic talent can not only attract interest from collectors and art promoters, but can also form a vehicle for contemporary social initiatives that drive long term empowerment within communities.
Speaking about the launch, Estelle says:
“The Dreamy Memory project is a unique way to empower underserved communities, while showcasing artistic talent. Our expansion into Togo allowed us to position the foundation as a pioneer of a new form of philanthropic endeavours, using the richness of creativity and the arts in Africa to positively impact healthcare for people in underserved communities. We are excited about this opportunity to advance our work both in the Arts and in healthcare improvement for vulnerable populations, and we look forward to further grow the care section of our activities.”
For the opening of the project, Estelle and her team mobilized stakeholders from multiple sectors including banking, arts, hospitality, and industry, during an event held symbolically for International Women’s Day 2024. Around 100 guests gathered to discuss the important roles women play in communities, as well as some of the important societal issues affecting women from underserved communities. The launch ended with the projection of the behind-the-scenes documentary of the project and the unveiling of the twelve (12) in total and all taken in Lomé, conveying local realities.
Speaking about her aspirations for the project, Estelle says:
“Our aspiration through this proof of concept is to mobilize more stakeholders to provide support for as many women as possible. The proceeds from the sale of 13 exclusive works will be dedicated to transforming the life of a woman by providing essential healthcare support for women or girls in the neonatal unit of a public hospital in the Togolese capital. By elevating the burden of the healthcare cost of women, the ripple effect could be an indirect impact on over 50 persons within the community who will be able to invest their funds in self-sustaining businesses, a drop in the ocean but a real positive impact for every one of them.”
Anyone interested in knowing more about the project or the Foundation can reach out to Estelle via email estelle@yawoafoundation.org or by visiting the website, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
Website: http://www.yawoafoundation.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yawoafoundation/
https://www.instagram.com/yawoafoundationtogo/
YouTube or Vimeo Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Zz7qgLtQUDw7BRhTtzXbg
