Tag Archives: HerMaP Africa
Fisher Child lunches its immersive heritage experience
We are happy to share that TraciKwai’s Fisher Child VR Experience, one of the 75 projects funded by our Small Grants for Africa, an initiative generously supported by the Mellon Foundation, had its official launch on June 21st.
Project Fisher Child is a multidisciplinary storytelling experience that weaves together VR, AR, and QR technologies. Each element offers a unique narrative that intersects and overlaps with the others, creating a rich, immersive journey. Whether you are engaging on-site or from wherever you are, the stories remain accessible and impactful.
The launch event was a great success and was attended by 100 people who gathered at the small community hall in Kalk Bay.The guests came from both the local fishing community and the wider Cape Town area and queued in front of each of the two-by-two marked out squares, patiently waiting for their turn to experience the Virtual Reality, Living Museum of stories and images housed inside a 3D world; a repository of archival material including images, old photographs and the ancient sound of the Poedjies unique to the area.
A multi-sensory experience of sight and sound combined with the flavours and aromas of fresh indigenous food: “viskop sop”, smoor snoek en gebakte brood (fish head soup, fish stew and freshly baked bread) topped with home made preserves and spicy tea.
Community members were brought to tears as they heard the voices of old friends and family members who were no longer there and young voices gave them a sense of hope and pride and belonging.
The VR experience made them feel as though they were immersed under the sea and created feelings of nostalgia and they were able to share those memories with us after.
Age was no barrier. This experience was enjoyed by five year olds and eighty five year olds alike.
The Augmented Reality Museum Jars were also a big success, with quite a few sold on the day. Participants were so engrossed in the experience that many needed gentle encouragement to exit!
All in all a very successful community event!
Experience some of the exhibits yourself here.
Third Online Networking Convening of Africa Grantees
On 25 June 2025, the Africa Grants Team hosted the third online networking convening for the 2024 grantees. 65 people attended, including the grantees, HERITAGE staff, Regranting Committee members, and representatives from the Mellon Foundation and other African donors.
HERITAGE’s Richard A. Brown opened the session with a warm welcome, followed by Dimitra Gialesa of the Network Convening Taskforce, who thanked attendees and introduced the agenda. In this convening, twelve grantees presented their projects. The projects showcased a wide range of heritage work across Africa, including efforts to revitalise historic sites in Tanzania, promote cultural heritage in Cameroon, empower refugee women in Uganda, and build heritage museums in The Gambia.*
Following presentations, participants joined six breakout rooms organised by project type and facilitated by HERITAGE staff. These smaller groups encouraged peer discussions on common challenges and potential collaborations, with one member of the Grants Committee joining each. Discussions ranged from capacity building and craft training, restoration and documentation, to infrastructure support and heritage tourism. Encouragingly, connections were made that may lead to future collaborations.
Overall, the convening reinforced the value of these gatherings as platforms for connection and shared learning, while also highlighting challenges in participation. The team plans to maintain thematic breakout groups and encourage more focused discussions on challenges and collaboration in future convenings.
*Kelvin Fella Tanzania: ‘Improving Community Wellbeing to Rescue Bagamoyo Old
Stone Town’
Nfor Blessing Mbontu Cameroon: ‘’Smart Sacred Forests Reforestation Project’
James Agbor Ayamba Cameroon: ‘Protecting Heritage Through Promoting Culture’
Margaret Dear Kasande Uganda: ‘Supporting women and refugees in the Rwenzoris to
acquire skills and earn income from traditional basket weaving’
Hassoum Ceesay The Gambia: ‘Fort Bullen Revitalization’ (presentation delivered by
the manager Mamat Sallah)
Habab Idriss Ahmed Idriss Sudan: ‘Documentation and Protection of Hillat Dongola’
Elhadj Ould Brahim Mauritania: ‘Preserving Haratin Bondja and Medh Musical
Traditions (first stage: Adrar Region, Mauritania)’
Nfamara Tamba The Gambia: ‘’Kubuneh-Galloya Heritage Trail (The Gambia)’
(presentation delivered by Dimitra Gialesa at the end because Nfamara was facing
internet connection issues through the meeting and he was disconnecting regularly)
Sanya Gilbert Lesotho: ‘Empowering Communities: Sustainable Tourism, Heritage
Preservation and Economic Empowerment Project at Kome Caves’
Anaclet Karangwa Rwanda: ‘The Development of Imanzi Heritage Village’
Hewan Goitom Berhane Ethiopia: ‘Addis Ababa Heritage Buildings Photogrammetry
Documentation Training and Exhibition’
Bala Saho The Gambia: ‘Building A Heritage Museum and Training on the Collection
and Management of Artifacts and Oral Traditions’
Second Online Networking Convening of Africa Grantees
On 30th April, our Africa Grants Team hosted the Second Networking Convening for recipients of our Small Grants for Africa, bringing together over 60 participants from across Africa for a virtual session. Our small grants initiative is made possible with the support of the Mellon Foundation.
The event featured grantees, HERITΛGE staff, members of the Re-granting Committee, and representatives from several foundations, including the Mellon Foundation, ALIPH Foundation, Arcadia Fund, DRK Foundation, and Kaplan Foundation. 12 grantees presented projects from Algeria, Eswatini, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. They showcased a broad range of community-driven heritage work, from the restoration of Keana Salt Village in Nigeria to the conservation of rock paintings in Uganda.
“ Heritage and culture are so important in many different ways in addressing social issues, economic issues and environmental issues”
Justin Garrett Moore, Director, Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place Program
After the presentations, Justin Garrett Moore from the Mellon Foundation highlighted the significant role that heritage plays in addressing various societal challenges. “We’ve supported this work because heritage and culture are so important in many different ways in addressing social issues, economic issues, and environmental issues. And I think all of the work you’ve shared here today has been showing jus the power that work has,” he told attendees./
The convening concluded with a breakout session, where participants were divided into smaller groups to discuss their projects more informally. It was also a great opportunity for participants to network with each other and promoted collaborations between individuals and groups.
This was the second out of six planned events aimed at showcasing projects funded through our Small Grants for African Heritage Projects initiative, made possible through generous funding by the Mellon Foundation. 75 projects have received around $1million in funding. You can read more about the specific projects on our Africa Grants page which is continually being updated.
First Online Networking Convening of Africa Grantees
“It is important to have capacity building, to have knowledge sharing, to have networks to increase solidarity in what is very challenging work.”
Justin Garrett Moore, Director, Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place Program
Last month, we held our first Online Networking Convening of the 2024 Africa Grants Programme. The meeting, which was attended by representatives from 49 organisations, was a fantastic opportunity for grant recipients to share the successes of their projects with other grantees. It was also a chance to celebrate the projects and thank everyone involved including representatives from the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place Program and the Re-granting Committee members.
Richard Brown opened the meeting by outlining the positive impact of the Africa Grants Programme which has provided over $1,000,000 to 75 organisations in 32 countries across Africa. HERITAGE Director, Evangelos Kyriakidis, then emphasised the importance of the meeting itself as an opportunity for grantees to learn from other heritage professionals across the continent to build a stronger heritage sector saying “it is the only continent where there is such enormous diversity and wealth of heritage alive”.
This diversity was emphasised in the following presentations where 12 organisations outlined what each grant had been used to fund. These projects included tangible and intangible heritage, natural and built, covered a range of cultures, varying religions and spanned eight different countries including Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe and South Africa.* You can read more about the specific projects on our Africa Grants page, but it was a great opportunity to hear directly from the teams who have worked so diligently to champion their heritage. We look forward to hearing from more organisations in the following meetings!
*The 12 projects presented at the first meeting included:
Mahmoud Malik Saako | Ghana: ‘Islamic Heritage in northern Ghana’
Vitalice Ochieng | Kenya: ‘Cultural Heritage Promotion and Conservation of the Kaya Forests, Kenya’
Chifundo Dalireni | Malawi: ‘Protecting Chongoni heritage sites through community participation and effective governance’
Getinet Fetene Engida | Ethiopia: ‘Protecting Heritages in monasteries of UNESCO Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve’
William Mutta Tsaka | Kenya: ‘Restoration Work and Museum Establishment at Masee House in Kenya’
Moses Mkumpha | Malawi: ‘Restoration of Anti-Slave trade buildings and opening of Museums’
Daniel Ishaya Mwada | Nigeria: ‘Rehabilitation of Rabih’s Fort, Dikwa National Monument’
Kamya Stephen Kyobe | Uganda: ‘Uganda bark cloth revitalization Consortium; promoting communal Conservation / protection’
Eunitah Viriri | Zimbabwe: ‘Towards the Preservation and Promotion of Matendere Ruins in Zimbabwe’
Didas Mzirai | Kenya: ‘Bustani Resort – The Taveta Cultural and Agro-Ecotourism Center’
Njung Gislane Bih | Nigeria: ‘Solarization of National Museum Onikan (Lagos)’ (presentation delivered by her partner Tolulope Falola)
Tracey Viljoen | South Africa: ‘The Fisher Child and other stories. Sites of memory project’
HERITΛGE Highlights 2024
Training
HERITΛGE celebrated a record-breaking milestone in 2024, training over 1,000 heritage caretakers in a single year. Participants engaged in a wide range of programs, including three-day workshops conducted online and in person, two annual summer schools focusing on digital tools and community engagement, and specialized training tailored to specific regions, topics and organizations. These included programs on Street Art in The Gambia (which also produced a new mural for the country’s National Centre for the Arts and Culture), Heritage interpretation in Rwanda, Project Management for US Heritage Managers, and an introduction to Fundraising and Project Management in Iraq.
Heritage Threatened by Conflict, Natural Disasters, and Climate Change
HERITΛGE continued its mission to protect heritage at risk worldwide, strengthening existing partnerships and forging new ones. In Ukraine, the Digital Museum project that was funded by the Creative Europe’s Culture Helps initiative, trained museum professionals to use digital tools, ensuring operational continuity and community access during wartime. Simultaneously, the two-year Architecture in Times of War: The Ukrainian Model initiative – delivered in cooperation with the Kharkiv School of Architecture and Skeiron and the support of the US Embassy in Kyiv – is equipping students and educators with digital skills to document, preserve, and restore architectural heritage.
In Türkiye, HERITΛGE published comprehensive reports documenting historic sites affected by the February 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquakes. These reports include protection recommendations and advocate for enhanced cultural heritage recovery in affected provinces. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, a new project launched to safeguard the early Buddhist heritage of the Swat Valley, an area under threat from conflict, climate change, and rapid development. In Yemen, efforts continued to preserve the unique earthen architecture of Shibam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site struggling under the weight of a decade-long civil war.
HERITΛGE in Africa
The HerMaP Africa initiative, generously supported by the Mellon Foundation, has delivered significant impact. Over 75 small heritage projects received funding, alongside the awarding of several fellowships and the training of more than 370 heritage managers in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Rwanda. New partnerships were also established to further these efforts. In The Gambia, HERITΛGE’s ongoing HerMaP Gambia initiative, co-funded by the European Union, provided training to enhance the country’s culture and tourism sectors. The program also facilitated a parliamentary delegation study tour in Greece and partnered with the NCAC to launch the country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Register, a project supported by UNESCO.
Giving Heritage Managers New Tools
HERITΛGE made strides in empowering heritage managers with innovative tools and practices. The EU-funded SHIFT project advanced its work to make heritage more accessible and inclusive, with a consortium meeting and project presentation held in Athens. The AHEAD initiative, co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program, introduced seminars (now available online) and launched a community-based artistic project in Crete, with similar activities planned for Italy and Spain. HERITΛGE also announced the launch of EMPATHS, a project designed to promote participatory heritage interpretation through new tools and training resources.
Creating Networks, Connecting Professionals
Collaboration and community-building remained central to HERITΛGE’s mission in 2024. The organization continued developing Greece’s Living Heritage Network, supported by the Ministry of Culture, with HERITΛGE actively contributing to its digital and physical infrastructure, member recruitment, and communications. Additionally, the newly established AHEAD Network brings together heritage managers and community members who share a vision of audience engagement and participation.
Knowledge Sharing
HERITΛGE emphasized the importance of knowledge-sharing through active participation in global events and publications. Director Dr. Evangelos Kyriakidis delivered a keynote at the Choc Des Legendes Conference in Ghana, held under the auspices of the country’s First Lady. The organization also sponsored PastForward 2024, the annual conference of the US National Trust for Historic Preservation. Other highlights included workshops and presentations at the 30th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists and the ReImagining Public Collections conference in Hungary.
HERITΛGE contributed to a Horizon Europe-funded policy brief on digital cultural heritage and shared expertise through webinars, seminars, and public lectures. Notable online resources include audience development webinars from the AHEAD initiative and webinars on architectural preservation in Ukraine.
1st Global Staff Summit
Reflecting the growth in HERITΛGE’s activities and team, the organization hosted its inaugural Global Staff Summit in September. This online event brought together staff working in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas , marking the beginning of an annual tradition to foster collaboration and alignment across our expanding network.
Project Management Workshop in Rwanda
In October, heritage managers from fifteen institutions across Rwanda joined us online for our Project Management for Heritage Managers Workshop. The course aims to help stakeholders build a better understanding of how to effectively run heritage projects from inception to closure, including evaluation.
HERITΛGE’s Tim Healing started the programme by introducing the basic principles and tools of project management using four case studies from Ghana, South Africa, Niger and Sudan. Participants then focused on specific skills including budget planning, risk management, monitoring and grant writing in the planning and implementation phases of projects. Instructions were then given for the requirements of the final project which will be submitted in groups.
The 22 participants included officials from the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, the Rwanda Metereology Agency, Kigali Independent University, Rwanda Queen’s Museum, Mfura foundation, the Rwanda Digital Cultural Archive and Rwanda History Archives (Heritage Hub), Amatha Tech/ Rwanda Digital Heritage Platform, RWANDA cultural Library, NZIZA NGO, Golden Class Travel Agency, Art & Travel Ltd, Bwishyura Kivu Boat Cooperative, and Marti’s public secretariat Ltd.
The course was well received and participants showed great interest in how to manage a project and attract potential funders.
The workshop’s focus on real-life case studies also provided actionable insights, which I can implement in ongoing projects.
“Learning how to balance heritage conservation with sustainable development, while involving local communities, was particularly valuable. The workshop’s focus on real-life case studies also provided actionable insights, which I can implement in ongoing projects.” said Aime Ntyonagize, Founder and Director of Amatha Tech/ Rwanda Digital Heritage Platform.
Personally, I liked how very experienced the instructor is in Project Management.
“Personally, I liked the way the instructor is very experienced in Project Management, impressive topics, facilitations and explanations from the trainers etc. To be precise and concise, what I liked most is the project management skills and qualities of a good project manager that I gained from the instructors and facilitators during the course. It was so impressive and fantastic,” said Emmy MUSINGUZI, Genocide Memorials & Site management Officer / Bisesero memorial site
Tim Healing is our interim director of African Grants, and capacity development officer helping small heritage organizations in Africa develop an application and ensure they manage their grant efficiently. Tim has over thirty years’ experience working as a project manager and has a professional background in project management, community and NGO development.
For more information about HERITΛGE’s workshops, go to our open courses page, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter / X, LinkedIn or Instagram.