About Us
Our Story: Art as a Safe Haven
The Collective Arts Development Association(CADA), was born out of a profound belief: where words fail,arts speaks: and where communities hurt,art heals.
Based in Bamenda,Cameroon, CADA emerged in response to the pressing need of safe spaces,psychosocial support,and empowering opportunities for young people navigating complex community challenges. We realized that traditional approaches often overlook the deeply rooted emotional and psychological impact of crisis on youth.
CADA was founded to bridge that gap. By providing a creative sanctuary,we offer youth a platform to process their experiences,reclaim their personal narratives, and transform their vulnerabilities into strengths. Through the brush,the pen and the digital lens,we are raising a generation of resilient changemakers who are actively painting a new future for our communities.
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Our Mission & Vision
Our Mission
To empower youth and marginalized voices by utilizing visual arts,digital storytelling, and creative entrepreneurship as a dynamic instrument for social transformation,trauma healing, and sustainable livelihood building.
Our Vision
A society where every young person has a safe space to discover their creative potential,heal from trauma,and actively contribute to peaceful,inclusive and socially cohesive community.
What we do: Our Core Pillars
We don’t just teach art: we use art as a strategic framework for community led change.Our work is built on three distinct pillars:
-Creative Healing & Resilience: Through targeted community led workshops like our Creative Voices, we guide young people through drawing,painting,and spoken word to express complex emotions, build emotional resilience, and discover personal agency.
-Skill Building & Entrepreneurship: Programs like Creative Haven provide rigorous,hands-on-training in visual arts and creative crafts.We bridge the gap between passion and sustainability,equipping 15 selected youth at a time with the entrepreneurial skills needed to build independent,dignified livelihoods.
-Digital Advocacy & Public Engagement: We train youth to use digital storytelling to amplify their voices online. By bringing these narratives to the public square through community art exhibitions, spoken word recordings, and online galleries, we foster deep empathy, challenge negative stereotypes, and spark dialogue for social cohesion.
Our Core Values
-Safety & Inclusivity: We cultivate a non judgemental,secure environment where every individual feels seen,valued and safe to express their authentic self.
-Grassroots Resilience: We believe lasting change starts from within.We focus on unlocking the innate creative solutions already present within our local youth.
-Empathy & Cohesion: We use the universal language of art to bridge divides,foster deep mutual understanding and weave a stronger social fabric.
-Integrity & Collaboration: We are committed to transparency,local ownership, and building sustainability, mutual partnerships with local leaders and international networks.
Meet the Visionaries & Mentors behind CADA
At the Collective Arts Development Association, our work is driven by a passionate team of local leaders, creative advocates, and art mentors. Together, we guide, inspire, and empower youth affected by the crisis to rewrite their narratives through the power of visual arts and storytelling.
Executive Leadership
Angwere Claude Che Azah is the founder and executive director.He is a dedicated Social Entrepreneur and Youth Advocate based in Bamenda.He founded CADA to merge creative expression with social transformation,utilizing specialized frameworks to build community resilience and empower disadvantaged youths. He is the visionary lead responsible for CADA’s strategic direction,international partnerships and grassroots project design.
“Arts isn’t just about creating something beautiful:it is a tool for survival,healing and building the economic independence our youth deserve.”
Creative Mentors & Art Facilitators
Our mentors are local creative professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to provide specialized technical training,emotional support,and entrepreneurial guidance to our project participants.
Ndong Eric is the Lead Visual Arts facilitator.He directs hands-on workshops in painting,drawing and mix media for projects like Creative Voices and Creative Haven. He has 5+ years of community art instruction, specialized in the therapeutic arts techniques, and local materials.He guides participants from foundational skills to creating exhibition-ready pieces that tell their unique stories.
Bih Nee Manka is the Story telling & Spoken Word Mentor.She facilitates creative writing and spoken word sessions,helping youth translate their live experiences into powerful digital advocacy and oral performances.She is a local performance artist,cultural advocate, and multi-media storyteller. She empowers youth to find their confidence,build public speaking skills,and amplify their voices across digital platforms.
Achunkwe Nelson is the Creative Entrepreneurship Coach.He leads the post-project mentorship hub, focusing on business literacy, seed funding management, and startup strategy. He is a Local business consultant,craft entrepreneur, and micro-finance advisor. He bridges the gap between creative healing and economic self-reliance, helping graduates turn their artistic skills into sustainable livelihood.
Join Our Collective
Are you an artist,mentor or changemaker in the Northwest Region looking to make a difference?CADA is always looking for passionate facilitators to join our mission.