Mbaasem Foundation
Formation | 2000 |
---|---|
Founder | Non-governmental |
Purpose | To support the development and sustainability of African women writers and their artistic output |
Headquarters | Accra, Ghana |
Website | mbaasem |
The Mbaasem Foundation is a foundation established by Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo in Accra, Ghana, in 2000. It is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting and promoting the work of African women writers,[1][2] to "establish and maintain a writing place for women".[3] In 2002 the rented headquarters of the foundation was "likened to the transformation of Ernest Hemingway's home in Chicago into a literary haven and museum".[4] The Foundation states its mission as being "To support the development and sustainability of African women writers and their artistic output", and as its goal: "To create an enabling environment for women to write, tell and publish their stories."[1]
History
In January 2000 Ama Ata Aidoo started an initiative called Mbaasem (meaning "women’s words, women’s affairs" in
In 2012 Mbaasem launched a three-year project to develop a literacy manifesto to improve the literacy rate within Ghana.[8] Other activities include organizing the "Mbaasem Writing Contest for Girls", funded by the US Embassy of Ghana and The Royal Bank Ltd, with GHC 1000 as the top prize.[9][10]
The Mbaasem Foundation has also been involved in international conferences for women writers. In 2013, it collaborated with the
References
- ^ a b "Welcome To Mbaasem", Mbaasem Foundation.
- ISBN 978-0-435-91013-6.
- ISBN 978-0-85255-596-5.
- ^ West Africa. West Africa Publishing Company, Limited. 2002. p. 35.
- ^ a b c "Yari Yari Ntoaso: An International Conference in Ghana on Literature by Women of African Ancestry". Creative Writing Ghana. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Annual Report 1999-2000, Women's WORLD.
- ^ Kundai Mugwanda-Nyamutenha, "Women’s History Month profile: Ama Ata Aidoo", This Is Africa, 30 March 2015.
- ^ Marian Ansah, "Mbaasem Foundation Launches manifesto To Bridge Literacy Gap", 8 March 2012.
- ^ "Mbaasem Writing Contest for Girls", GoWoman, 8 December 2014.
- ^ "Rosebella Thompson tops Mbaasem Writing Contest for Girls". Citifmonline.com. 9 May 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2016.