The Association Culturelle Côté-Cour in Djicoronie Para Troukabougou hosted the public presentation of projects from the Africana Lab-Bamako workshop on October 1, 2026. The event brought together Malian beneficiaries, their collaborators, and partners, including representatives from the Spanish Embassy in Mali. The presentation highlighted the women's autonomy and creativity through a demonstration marked by artistic touches.
The Africana Lab project aims to establish the first network of feminist citizen laboratories in Africa, promoting women's creativity, leadership, and empowerment. The program, launched eight months ago, is present in Mali through the Association Culturelle Côté-Cour, in Senegal through Makeda Production, and in Mauritania through the Association Multiculturelle pour un Avenir Meilleur (AMAM), under the coordination of GRIGRI (Spain).
The project has provided mentorship and mediation, welcoming collaborators from other countries. During the final phase, participants from Senegal, Mauritania, and Mali collaborated to develop innovative ideas and projects. Five initiatives were selected and prototyped before being presented to the public. The projects include Eco Charbon Sanuma, Eco Valeur Green, Femme en Action, Voix de Vie, and Woula Baaro.
The Director of Côté Cour, Mama Koné, expressed her satisfaction with the team spirit and collaboration that prevailed during the workshop and the successful final presentation. She thanked the partners and noted that the work would continue with the accompaniment of the beneficiaries. The Coordinator of Africana Lab, Susana de GRIGRI from Spain, also expressed her pleasure at sharing enriching moments with the project team.
Miguel Angel, representative of the Spanish Embassy, highlighted the importance of this type of activity, which contributes to community resilience and strengthens ties with the Embassy. The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude and wished for the perpetuation of similar initiatives. The event was marked by dances, songs, and words of thanks.
The Africana Lab-Bamako project demonstrates the potential of women's creativity and ingenuity in driving positive change. The project's focus on empowerment and autonomy aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
The success of the Africana Lab-Bamako project highlights the importance of collaboration and partnership in promoting women's empowerment. The project's impact will be closely watched, and its outcomes may serve as a model for similar initiatives in the region.
Key points
- The Africana Lab-Bamako project promotes women's empowerment and creativity through innovative projects and collaboration.
