Uniting Black organisations and committed individuals
Portfolio Works
Our programs support Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, in particularly those who have fled the war in Ukraine and other war-affected countries.
Participation is free of charge.
A 2023 project funded by Bezirksamt Berlin-Mitte
Throughout 2023, a group of young people gathered in weekly workshops to explore fashion concepts from Africa and its diaspora at Salone Market, a Sierra Leonean restaurant in Berlin-Wedding. Amidst sharing experiences of racism and strategies to overcome them, they crafted speeches presented to Bezirksamt representative Frau Carolyn Kanja.
Supported by Sulaymane Mare, our talented tailor with Burkina Faso heritage, they created fashion accessories and designs that reflected the beauty of their African-European identities and experiences. Self-chosen empowerment messages underscored an attitude of self-awareness and self-love.
The project culminated in a FashionEmpowerment show in front of a community gathering of 350 people in support of Sudanese Peace Action Day on December 16, 2023. The show received generous support by Berlin Mondiale and featured several African artists, including those who migrated from Ukraine to Berlin, featuring Afrobeat and live performances by artists like PapaG and Kollinz as well as an after party. Particularly notable was the collaboration with Ulibia Beauty Empire under the leadership of Grace Aanajemba, through which children and young people enjoyed exploring Afrocentric hairstyles, expressing pride in their heritage.
The project’s primary goal was to empower children and youth through fashion-themed workshops, enabling them to explore and embrace their unique preferences and needs. Our FashionEmpowerment workshops were designed to create safer spaces with a diverse team representing various gender identities and creating inclusive spaces for personal growth among youth. The project was predominantly executed by refugees and individuals with migrant backgrounds from the African continent, ensuring culturally sensitive programming.
We are proud to have successfully fostered self-empowerment among young participants and their families, facilitating skill development through community arts activities. The project is currently seeking expansion in collaboration with several schools interested in the sustainable artworks of the project.
Mama Circle is an initiative in the project Safer Spaces for mothers who have fled from war, which is funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
Mama Circle is a weekly meeting for African and Afro-diasporic mothers and female identifying guardians. Participants have the opportunity to connect to one another, share knowledge, exchange cultural traditions, learn about womens’ and childrens’ health, discuss possible worries and access support.
Want to join Mama Circle?
Send an email to [email protected] or message +49 0172 3411638
Sundays from 2 – 5 pm at Bruno Bauer Str. 22, 12051 Berlin
For this project, motherhood is not just defined as those who have given birth to a child, but is also expanded to include all types of motherhood and caregiving, including those who are not yet mothers. Mama Circle is a space without hierarchies. Here, we are all equal and all experiences are valid.
We all do well to develop and nurture our inner mother that tends to our “inner child”. Through understanding, accepting, letting go and learning, we help each other to create the stable foundation we need in our lives. The Mama Circle group lays the groundwork and serves as a guide for transitioning, unpacking and breaking cycles of dysfunction and offers a way to reframe our realities here in Germany.
Childcare
We offer childcare throughout the events so that participants have the opportunity to focus on themselves and their issues. Our childcare team is cross-gender and we allow white allies in the space to support the work in the background.
Additionally, we offer educational and psycho-social counselling, empowerment projects and support with everyday tasks (booking and accompanying doctor’s visits, booking and accompanying official visits, among others) on 4 days per week for participating women.