While living in Ethiopia, expat partner Sonia Maliza Kabanda created a multiplatform festival called African’Zuri, which celebrates the richness of African cultures together as one.
A new hub in Addis
“It all began in Addis Ababa. I felt like there was something missing in the city and told my husband Laurent I wanted to make something happen. So I created a multipurpose space that brought people from different cultures together for drinks, food, music, art and much more. It was in a large beach house and I basically added various concepts under one roof. We had live music and art shows as well as multiple bars, lounges and chillout spaces. It was a very special venue,” says Sonia, a Congolese expat, now living in Réunion.
Honouring Mother Africa
“One of my regular events was ‘Africa Night’, held every Friday. The idea was to showcase food and music from as many parts of Africa as possible. It was proving very popular so I decided to invite a well-known Congolese singer called Koffi Olimide to perform. It was a huge night and we had to turn people away after reaching capacity (about 1,100 people). This inspired me to do something even bigger, so I created African’Zuri – a multiplatform festival that celebrates the diversity of Africa while also highlighting what every African culture has in common. After all, we all come from Mother Africa!”
An incredible feeling
“The first African’Zuri was held in Ethiopia over three weekends with displays and performances of art, music, cuisine, fashion, comedy and more with a total of 180 performers / participants from all over Africa. It was an incredible feeling to pull it all together, after a lot of hard work, with the help of many sponsors and supporters. After holding the second edition in Congo, which was also a great success, I hoped to host the third edition in Senegal. However, due to unforeseeable circumstances, I have decided to return the event to Kinshasa in 2024 – so watch this space!”
Filled with joy
“It’s something of a challenge to organise everything from Réunion. I am also an online coach specialising in fitness and nutrition for women. It might sound like I have a lot on my plate but these are two great passions of mine. Waking up every day, and getting to work, whether I am preparing the next African’Zuri or supporting women to have healthier lifestyles, fills me with joy.”
Photo: Sonia and Laurent
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