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STATEMENT

Nothing contributes more to the underdevelopment of Africa than the complete domination of Africa by European languages. These were meant to forge a strong psychological bond of language and culture to the European metropolis, which would survive colonialism. Their dominance was consciously brought about by force of policy, politics and guile. Simultaneously African languages and the memory they carried were turned into things of shame. To a large extent the colonial architects of the psychological bonds succeeded. In a majority of African countries, English, French or the Portuguese are the official languages of government, administration, big business and education. They are the languages of power.

But these languages are known by about five to ten percent in each of the linguistic communities: the educated elite only. This means that the majority is deprived of the power of knowledge, information and creativity so necessary in fueling the imagination and adding to the skills the people already have. Even the existing indigenous systems of knowledge carried by African languages are suppressed. This has to change.

Africa has to secure its economic, political and cultural base. Rooted in our base, we connect to the world.

Knowledge and information are necessary for economy, politics and culture and a collective sense of self. African languages have to be empowered to increase their knowledge base, connect with other African languages, and also the colonially inherited languages, but on the basis of network not hierarchy. Multi-lingualism and translations should be the norm.

The Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o Foundation will advocate for African languages in reading, writing, and grass root based innovations in the arts, science and technology.

MISSION & VISION

MISSION
The foundation is powered by the interest and passion to raise the visibility of African Languages in Kenya, Africa and the world, as vehicles for performance, creativity, innovations, and scholarship. It sees African languages as the new intellectual frontier in everything from culture, biological sciences, technology and medicine.
 
VISION
Culture contact is the oxygen of civilization, but only on the reciprocal basis of an equal give and take. The work of the Foundation will be driven by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s globalectic vision of a networking of languages, cultures and regions on the basis of equal give and take, in the service of our common humanity. It will further that vision guided by core values.
 
CORE VALUES
The Promotion of self-reliance and community self-empowerment through knowledge generated from bottom up.  Indeed self-reliance before reliance on others should be the goal of the continent. But self-reliance does mean self-isolation. Self-reliance should be the basis of mutual cooperation with others.