Location: NIGERIA
The Project
In Mpape, an underserved community on the outskirts of Nigeria’s capital, the absence of art education in schools often leaves creative young minds without encouragement, resources, or role models. The Ekene May Arts Foundation launched The Art Seeds Project to change that, bringing structured art training, mentorship, and professional materials to 40 students aged 11 to 17 over a 16-week period. The project provided a rare opportunity for these young people to explore their talents in a setting where creative expression is too often considered expendable. Founder May Ekene Eliye’s motivation runs deep.
“I was inspired to take on this project,” she shared, “because my friend’s brother used to be interested in the arts as a teenager but there was no one to guide and mentor him at the time… Years later, he was arrested for defrauding an innocent woman of 800,000 Naira through internet fraud… I wished every day that I had the tools to help him choose Arts.”
That memory, combined with the enthusiastic responses from students and educators during earlier programs, cemented her resolve.
“After the success of previous projects, it was impossible to ignore the uncontrollable joy on the faces of students who had never participated in an outreach like mine… I knew the desire to create change and see the power of Arts transform a community was something I would continue to pursue.”
The Impact of the Seed Grant
With support from The Pollination Project, the foundation was able to purchase over $1,500 worth of art supplies (easels, stretched canvases, acrylic paints, brushes, sketchpads, and more). Despite unexpected hurdles like school closures, miscommunications with staff, and the need to relocate halfway through the program, the team completed the initiative and ensured that every student created a finished painting by the end. Pre- and post-program evaluations showed a dramatic leap in engagement and knowledge: baseline understanding of key concepts rose from 45% to 95%, and student satisfaction scores reached the same peak.
“The Art Seeds Project is for every boy and girl I could not help early enough,” said Eliye, “who have had to become internet fraudsters just to survive, or gotten pregnant and dropped out of school because they did not think their dreams were valid… It is designed to teach, groom, mentor, nurture – plant the seeds of arts – and show them the possibility of artistic success outside their marginalized and underserved community.”
The Future
The success of The Art Seeds Project has already begun to ripple beyond its original scope. Founder May Ekene Eliye has since volunteered as a judge for an Amnesty International arts competition and helped organize a children’s art contest as part of her role with the Female Artists Association of Nigeria. In addition to national media coverage and a feature interview on Channels Television, the project has attracted new interest and partnerships for future programming. With the momentum built from this phase, the foundation plans to expand its reach to more rural schools, inspire a wider network of young artists, and continue using creativity to drive meaningful change in communities that need it most.
“ Your belief in me made it possible for me to reach not only twenty
students as earlier planned but I raised additional funds and reached forty students in underserved communities with artistic skills, supplies and mentorship. “
May Ekene
May Ekene is an internationally recognized contemporary poet, visual artist, and documentary photographer based in Abuja, Nigeria. Her literary and artistic achievements include the Castello di Duino International Poetry Prize (Italy, 2020) for her poem The Butcher, and a Top 5 placement for her short film Queen of the Ballpoint Pen at the UN’s WIPO HERStory Film and Photo Screening in 2023. Her poetry has been honored by the NYPF (Hall of Fame – Best Content) and the Eriata Orhibabor Poetry Prize (Hair Regimen – Top 20, 2018), while her painting Magnificent was named among the Top 19 entries at the Spanish Embassy Arts Contest in 2023.
She serves as the Director of Grants, Projects, and Programs at the Female Artists Association of Nigeria (FEAAN) and is the Founder and Team Lead of The Ekene May Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to teaching art to young people and equipping them with tools to pursue careers as full-time artists.
Join The Pollination Project in seeding a global movement of grassroots change. When we invest in passionate local leaders, small acts of generosity blossom into lasting impact. Every dollar you give takes root in communities, growing into sustainable solutions that touch countless lives.
