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Tag: Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative

  • Nigerian First Lady, SHOM Partner for Children’s Creative Education

    Nigerian First Lady, SHOM Partner for Children’s Creative Education

    The SHOM Charity Gala 2025, hosted by the Nigerian First Lady, HE Senator Oluremi Tinubu,  and the Spouses of Heads of Mission (SHOM) Abuja, was held on Wednesday, 21 May, at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, in support of the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative, a non-profit that leverages arts, storytelling, and community engagement to improve learning outcomes for children in underserved communities in Nigeria.

    The gala brought together more than 350 guests, including the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who delivered the keynote address, alongside Honourable Ministers, Governors, Ambassadors, and senior representatives from the private and development sectors.

    With strong support from SHOM and the diplomatic community, the evening underscored a shared belief in the power of creativity in transforming education in a way that is inclusive, accessible, and rooted in local realities. Funds raised will help Five Cowries expand its impact across Nigeria, building on its track record of reaching over 250,000 learners through initiatives such as Mu Shuka Iri, Zinariya, and the Aunties Programme.

    In her address, the First Lady highlighted the alignment between Five Cowries’ community-driven model and Nigeria’s national development priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda. She said: “By supporting the Five Cowries initiative, we are reiterating our commitment to promoting education and fostering inclusive development across our local communities, dignity, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda and our shared commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.”

    Five Cowries CEO, Polly Alakija, expressed gratitude for the support shown by SHOM, the First Lady, and all event partners: “We are honoured by SHOM’s commitment and deeply grateful for Her Excellency’s recognition of our work. This evening is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when global and local actors come together to drive inclusive education, creativity, and restore agency to communities. With this support, we are better placed to deepen our impact and expand to more Local Government Areas across Nigeria.”

    The SHOM Charity Gala 2025 served as a powerful platform for cross-cultural partnership and reaffirmed the role of arts-based education in delivering inclusive, community-driven solutions to improving learning outcomes in Nigeria.

  • Red Door Gallery Presents Carnet de Voyages “images and emotions from a Traveller’s life” by Michel Puchercos

    Red Door Gallery Presents Carnet de Voyages “images and emotions from a Traveller’s life” by Michel Puchercos

    Photographer, Michel Puchrcos is unveiling an exhibition titled ‘Carnet de Voyage’ at Red door Art Gallery in Victoria Island from 29 October to 1 November. The exhibition–open to the public will display photographs from Michel Puchercos’s travel’s across Nigeria and will be sold in support of the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative.

    In a world where travel and adventure have been halted by border closures and numerous disruptions, the exhibition aims to celebrate what Puchercos calls the “life without borders”. It highlights the rich cultural heritage of Africans through carefully observed photographs.

    Michel Puchercos said that the exhibition represents, “a captured glimpse, a special unguarded moment, swift emotions, people, nature and the environment are present at every level of my work”. According to him, they form part of those recurring themes that he finds himself constantly drawn to.

    The photographs in this exhibition are strongly in line with Five Cowrie Arts Education Initiative’s vision to integrate art into learning and teaching.

    Polly Alakija, the founder of Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative said, “Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative thrives thanks to the shared passion of individuals and institutions for the need to deliver richer and more relevant learning experiences to the children and youth of Nigeria.” In admiration for the photographer and his support, she states her gratitude for “Michel’s dedication and commitment towards documenting a positive narrative”.

    All 34 photographs from the collection are also included in a photobook and, the profits from the sale of the photographs will be donated to the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative.