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| Nneka Lucia Egbuna AWDF’s Ambassador for the Arts, playing the guiter. |
THE African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has introduced arts, culture and sports as new thematic areas in order to expand support for the arts as a tool for the attainment of social justice.
According to the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the AWDF, Ms Theo Sowa, arts is an amazing catalyst for social change that could bring individuals together for that purpose.
She said since women, children and communities deserved better and an effective positive change, it was just not enough to talk about international convention, adding that “rather good domestic legislation should be implemented, since real change has to come from the mind and heart and arts and culture would raise the profile of women empowerment”.
The AWDF is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national and regional organisations in Africa in the area of women’s empowerment. Through institutional capacity building and programme development, AWDF seeks to build a culture of learning and partnerships within the African women’s movement.
The vision of AWDF is for African women to live in a world in which there is social justice, equality and respect for women’s human rights.
The organisation had been in existence for about 11 years and since 2001, AWDF had provided US$17 million in grants to 800 women’s organisations in 42 African countries.
Ms Sowa explained that arts and culture including images, paintings, songs and writings was the most effective way of reaching the soul and heart of people and that arts had the power to effect behavioural change.
To promote this course, a Nigerian-German singer, Nneka Lucia Egbuna has been chosen as the AWDF’s Ambassador for the Arts.
The young singer’s genre of music is hip hop and soul music artist and also a guitarist, who has clinched several awards both in Nigeria and abroad. These include the 2009 Music of Black Origin (MOBO), Nigeria Entertainment Award, and a South African Award, among others.
At the introductory ceremony in Accra, Egbuna said music was the easiest way to reach the hearts of people and would use her music to change the minds and hearts of people to express their feelings on political issues to improve their surroundings.
She also advised the younger generation not to allow themselves to be manipulated but should rather identify their talent in order not to loose concentration on any good thing they embarked on.
The singer gave a captivating performance at the event which brought together some prominent women including the Dompiahene of Akwapem and former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Nana Oye Mansa Yeboaa, and an Author and Playwright, Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo.
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