By: Ismaila Sonko
Adonia Art Foundation, the Gambia (AFAG) on Friday donated food items to Fatou Bah, Ida Nyang and Harabiyatou Jarju all residing in the Kanifing Municipality.
They commended the foundation for the supports adding that the donation will help in supporting their families.
Dr. Olumide Oludare Egunlae, founder Adonia Art Foundation, the Gambia (AFAG) said that organization is non-profit foundation focusing on creating a sense of purpose and opportunities for entrepreneurial through Visual Arts.
Dr. Olumide added that it was founded unofficial on the 14th February 2012 and licensed on the 12th August 2015.
“The foundation is committed to development of projects that rejuvenate, resuscitate and stimulate physical and social life of the Gambians by creating a medium and avenue for human expression that will open doors of opportunities to be entrepreneurial, fight poverty and alleviate the suffering of the poor and the less privileged”, Egunlae outlined
Dr. Egunlae also said that the foundation also committed in the areas of vocational skills training and securing job opportunities for its students within the fields of Art and Design.
“At AFAG, we encourage cultural exchanges, connecting communities and engage in programs that promote culture, social life and civic development of the nation,” he further explained.
He noted that Adonai Art Foundation, The Gambia shall work with all willing artists, members of the community, Gambian leaders, social development and philanthropists worldwide for the realization of our goal and improving the quality of lives of the people we serve socially, culturally and aesthetically.
Abbey Fayimika, foundation artiste stressed that AFAG would take poverty alleviation very seriously and as its paramount goal of development to end poverty alleviation through art and help the poor to achieve a better quality of lives, enable the largest number of people get above the poverty line.
He noted that the foundation receives its financial support from through their friends from Holland namely; Mama Gina Kamerling Mrs. Eurmie Kamerling, Rotarian Rebecca Monaghan and Rotarian Ousman Sowe.
AFAG would work through sales and donation of art works from member artists in helping to improve people’s lives by creating condition and chances for the future improvements, he pointed out.
“We believe that there is need to break away from the old ideology, concept and philosophy that only the government has the power to change lives. In view of this, we decided to establish the Adonai Art Foundation, The Gambia to join the International Organisation like the UN, WHO, UNICEF, IREMOPE, WEP, FUTURE STARTS NOW Gambia and Gambian government by contributing our little quote and efforts in sustaining our local people and the less privilege, using our talents, producing and selling or donating our Art and Craft works to raise funds for poverty alleviation”
“We convert our works to funds realized from friends, art lover’s tourists, and companies, local and international philanthropists and help our people in the areas below, Artists in Schools program includes Fight against child labor, Fight against female genital mutilation – FGM, Mid-day food program for school kids, Back to school program, Support for local and international students, Visual arts and vocational training and Women economic empowerment program,”
Mr. Omar Corr, foundation artiste, also noted that Adonai Art Foundation Artists are originally 16 members from the Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Senegal and United Kingdom.
They are specialized in Painting, Sculpture, Textiles, Graphics, Web Design and Computer Design and the Crafts.
These talented artists have been so selfless and work day and night in their various fields in our outdoor studio.
He explained that despite the fact that the studio is very small in size, these artists have been able to manage the little space and the material that were produced locally or purchased by them, friendly tourists, friends from Europe and United States who appreciates the selfless services of the artists to the Gambian communities.
“In less than 3 years of hard work and selfless services, these tireless artists had been able to raise more than Nine thousand United States Dollars ($9,000) the money had been used to help our various projects like Scholarship for best Students in vocational subjects, distributions of seeds, fertilizers and cash to women and widow farmers, foods and clothing for the widows and their kids, material supplies to vocational centers, Free training and workshop for street kids and secondary schools students and cash gifts for women empowerment and entrepreneurship special projects”, he disclosed.
He pointed out that of the 16 artists from various countries who reside in the Gambia, 6 are very outstanding; working tireless day and night for the financial support and fund raising for the foundation they are Rotarian Dr. Olumide Oludare Egunlae, Mr. Mohammad Jatta, Mr. Moulaye Sarr, Mr. Moustapha Jasseh