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Essamba Home is a private initiative founded in Amsterdam in November 2009 by the Cameroonian photographer Angèle Etoundi Essamba.
Angèle Etoundi Essamba was born in Douala Cameroon and grew up in Yaoundé (Cameroon) and in France. She arrived in the Netherlands in 1982 and materialize her passion for photography at the Nederlandse Fotovakschool (Dutch School for Professional Photography). Etoundi Essamba gained international recognition with exhibitions all over the world. Her first exhibition in 1985 at La Maison Descartes in Amsterdam, was followed by many others in Cameroon, South Africa, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, Algeria Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Cuba, Mexico and New York, Pennsylvania and Florida in the United States to name a few. Her work has appeared in a number of publications and is also represented in several public and private collections: www.essamba-art.com
During regular visits at her native country Cameroon, Angèle was adversely affected by the rising number of street children and decided to take action. With a plot of land she acquired near Yaoundé, she intends to build an hostel & art centre so she can contribute to the improvement of the life conditions of the street children in Cameroon.
"I’ve always had the dream to bring a contribution to young Cameroonians and to transmit in a direct way my experience and my knowledge in the domain of art photography. My experiences in photography have led me across the world helping me to overcome many struggles in my own life. I want to share this winning feeling and show that art is not only for a privileged group but an elementary need for everyone “
Angèle Etoundi Essamba
The Foundation’s goal is to contribute to the improved conditions of the life of the children of the streets of Yaoundé and facilitate their economical social insertion through the arts. The art centre is based in Mbankomo, a suburb of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon.
CONTEXT
The number of street children in Yaoundé continues to increase. One estimate is that there’s just under a thousand street children in the city of Yaoundé. This recent phenomenon dramatically increased since the social economical crisis period of the eighties. The street has become a home and a main place of social contact for these children. They are mostly beggars, forced into crime and sometimes even involved in prostitution to provide for their needs. They are the object of pursuit by the police who have the order to "clean the streets".
The future of these kids and their exposure to all types of dangers is the main motivation for creating the art centre. The goal is that Essamba Home Foundation get the children out their isolation and incite them to artistic expression. To achieve this, the Essamba Home Foundation will work with Cameroonian and international artists. We will also collaborate with existing and established local organizations which already direct their efforts and activities towards the street children.
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