Makan Aamm – Nubia Project

Near the Sudanese border, over 10 hours from the hustle and bustle of Cairo, sits Heissa Island—the last of the inhabited Nubian islands. Decades ago, floods and building dams drove most residents from the pristine, but disadvantaged area, and those who remain have had limited access to resources, from education to cultural activities. 

Makan Aamm—an arts and culture project based in Egypt—has been collaborating with another organization called Mashrou’ Al Saada to bring the arts to Heissa. A recent concert went over so well that the group is planning another. The new event is even more ambitious, expanding from one musician to 10 and hoping to introduce residents to acts from a range of musical backgrounds. Our grant will help organizers secure a venue, a sound stage, and stage design; plus, professional video recording will allow the concert to be shared across Egypt and with audiences around the world. 

Makan Aamm believes that the arts aren’t just for people who live in big cities or who can afford to purchase expensive concert tickets. Pretty groovy, don’t you think?