Mama Africa was born in 2009 from a chance encounter among young African asylum seekers at a reception centre in Bari, Italy. Each carried with them painful stories of flight—of persecution, perilous journeys across the desert, detention and torture in Libya, and the harrowing crossing of the Mediterranean Sea on unsafe dinghies. In 2010, Mama Africa was formally established by refugees, for refugees, with a mission rooted in hope, resilience, and the vision of a new beginning.
From the outset, our mission has been to promote the social inclusion and integration of refugees, migrants, and the wider community into a self-sufficient, healthy, and inclusive society—one that embraces intercultural dialogue and celebrates diversity.
Our earliest projects recognised the urgent need for communication between displaced communities and their new host society. Through art, music, dance, and theatre, we broke down cultural and language barriers, enabling individuals to express themselves, connect, and begin the healing process.
Over the years, Mama Africa has expanded its impact by offering a wide range of programmes designed to address the needs of migrants and refugees. These include:
- Italian language classes and cultural orientation
- Vocational training and employment support
- Access to healthcare and social services
- Community development initiatives
- Early childhood, parenting, and youth development
- Educational support and academic mentoring
- Sports and recreational activities
In 2014, we established an Intercultural Centre in the heart of Bari—an open, welcoming space outside the reception system where migrants and refugees could find hospitality, meet with their peers, share their languages, cultures, and faiths, and engage in games, sports, and dialogue. This centre quickly became a beacon of intercultural understanding and social cohesion, promoting mutual learning, trust-building, and solidarity between diverse communities in Bari.
Our work has always been guided by the belief that inclusion fosters resilience and autonomy. Mama Africa supports sustainable pathways to independence while contributing to the well-being of both migrant and host communities. Through this work, we aim to strengthen European unity and identity, promote democratic values, and advance social justice.
We are deeply committed to challenging racism, xenophobia, gender-based violence, and inequality. We stand for cultural diversity, tolerance, and shared human values, using art and cultural expression as powerful tools for bridge-building and shaping a more inclusive and democratic Europe.
Mama Africa has now extended its reach from Italy to the United Kingdom, establishing Mama Africa Sheffield to continue this vital work in a new context—supporting inclusion, promoting cultural understanding, and empowering migrant voices in shaping a shared future.
WHAT WE DO:
We provide a warm, welcoming “third space” for individuals and families navigating displacement and resettlement. Here, people are met with compassion, conversation, and practical care — from listening services to training opportunities, community meals to mental health support.
- Advance Migrant Participation and Rights
We believe democracy must be inclusive. That’s why we actively promote and support political participation and advocacy among refugee and migrant communities, challenging structures that exclude them and pushing for reform that reflects every voice. Advancing migrant participation and rights involves ensuring migrants have access to fundamental rights, including freedom of assembly, association, and expression, and ensuring they are not discriminated against. It also includes guaranteeing their access to decision-making processes and respecting the rights of freedom of movement and residence. This can be achieved through policy changes, community engagement, and international cooperation.
- Create Sustainable, Empowering Pathways
Through education, mentoring, vocational workshops, and collaborative projects, we open doors to durable autonomy and integration, always led by the needs and strengths of those we serve.
- Champion Climate and Racial Justice
The climate crisis is not just environmental — it’s social and racial. Mama Africa raises awareness of how environmental injustice disproportionately affects displaced and racialised communities, and we advocate for climate solutions rooted in equity and justice.
- Celebrate Culture, Creativity, and Community
We uplift diasporic and displaced cultural expressions as powerful tools for healing, learning, and transformation. Through storytelling, arts, music, and dance, we challenge dominant narratives and centre creativity in our work.
GLOBAL VOICES FOR RIGHTS AND REFUGE
Mama Africa is dedicated to creating a more welcoming world for people seeking refuge.
Today, an unprecedented number of people globally have been forced to flee conflict, crisis, and climate impacts at home. As these challenges increasingly collide, international systems designed to protect and aid people in need have not kept up, and the rise of exclusionary politics have eroded access to refuge. We know that a better world is possible. Mama Africa programs initiated is here to fight for rights and refuge for all.
OUR APPROACH
Our experts work with partners around the world to investigate the challenges displaced people face, develop policy solutions, mobilize action, and hold the powerful to account.
Mama Africa believes that people experiencing displacement must be at the center of the movement to advance solutions. We are dedicated to expanding the space for refugee and local leadership in our organization, in the public square, and in the halls of power.
INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT
The majority of the world’s displaced people live within the borders of their own countries.
While people who cross an international border to seek safety are protected by a range of norms and laws, internally displaced people are most often not. And they receive far less international attention and assistance than other displaced groups.
Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.