Nzerengo Tere

21/09/2026

When we tell our own stories, we reclaim our identities and our collective memory, and we also pass on to our children narratives that come from us.

Our stories are still and often told through external perspectives, often Eurocentric, giving incomplete or unbalanced representations of our vast continent.

This is precisely why it is important to create spaces where our children can write, tell and imagine their own stories.

Through our writing and storytelling workshops, we support children in exploring their own culture, their identity and the art of storytelling, so that they too can become the keepers of their own narratives.

09/09/2026

About two weeks ago, we started a 10-day Writing & African Storytelling Workshop with 15 children in a community here in Sierra Leone. 🇸🇱

For 10 days, we gathered with the children to explore culture and cultural identity, learn more about African storytelling traditions, Griots and Djelis, and write and create stories together. ✍🏾
The aim was not simply to teach the children how to write. We wanted them to understand why it matters to tell our own stories, why the stories of our communities deserve to be remembered and passed on, and to give the children the tools to become storytellers themselves.
Together, they learned how to take their ideas, experiences and cultural knowledge and turn them into stories, collectively.

We’ve got a lot to share from these 10 days. ❤️

11/05/2026

08/05/2026

The Balangi 🤎

Also known as the balafon in many parts of West Africa, the balangi is one of the oldest traditional African instruments and has existed for centuries across different African communities.

An instrument deeply connected to oral tradition, storytelling, memory, ceremonies, and the passing down of knowledge from one generation to another.

Traditionally, the balangi was played by griots/jelis, the people responsible for preserving history. These instruments carried the stories of kingdoms, families and ancestors.

What is beautiful is that this instrument also exists all over Africa but it doesn’t always look or sound the same. Each is shaped by its own culture, language and way of life.

In the last two slides you can see a balafon from the Central African Republic 🇨🇫

08/05/2026

The Balangi 🤎

Also known as the balafon in many parts of West Africa, the balangi is one of the oldest traditional African instruments and has existed for centuries across different African communities.

An instrument deeply connected to oral tradition, storytelling, memory, ceremonies, and the passing down of knowledge from one generation to another.

Traditionally, the balangi was played by griots/jelis, the people responsible for preserving history. These instruments carried the stories of kingdoms, families and ancestors.

What is beautiful is that this instrument also exists all over Africa but it doesn’t always look or sound the same. Each is shaped by its own culture, language and way of life.

In the last slide you can see a balafon from the Central African Republic 🇨🇫

25/04/2026

While Nzerengo Tere is slowly planting its roots in France, things in Sierra Leone continue to unfold.

On the ground, we are learning, building, and working alongside community elders, traditional artists, and knowledge keepers; those who carry living traditions.
Among them, our dear friend Uncle Salami, whose hands speak through the balangi (which others call the balafon) sharing rhythm and memory with the children who’ve been part of the journey.

Listen to the story of the balangi, a story that he shared with us during one of our community events we organised with the children, their parents, and the wider community around the school, who generously open their space to us after school hours so we can continue these teachings.

🎥:

12/02/2026

✨ We’ve been quiet. And we want to tell you why✨

Over the past weeks, we have been navigating loss.
Grief has its own rhythm. And we chose to honour it.
Sometimes leadership means showing up loudly.
Sometimes it means stepping back to breathe, to heal, to gather strength.

We took a pause on social media, not because the work stopped, but because we needed to return to it whole.
While we haven’t been active here on social media, we have continued to be present where it matters most:
✨ In community
✨ In conversation
✨ In healing spaces
✨ And inside our learning spaces.

Our literacy program is still alive and growing, though we have now decided to call it Children Learning Spaces: because what we are building goes beyond reading and writing.

At the same time, our organisation is expanding to the West, where we intend to create meaningful spaces for decolonial education, cultural transmission, healing, and critical dialogue.

Now that we have rested (because rest is also resistance) we are back.

Back with clarity & with intention 🌞