Awo Institute · Leading with Heritage
Preserving African archives and knowledge.
We collect, document and care for archival materials, and help people preserve the histories they hold.
Our purpose
Care for the material. Keep its history.
Photographs, letters, books, recordings and digital files hold evidence of lives, places and events. Their meaning also depends on what we know about who made them, how they were used and the people connected to them.
Awo brings together conservation, documentation, digitisation and training to care for these materials and their context.
How we work
The meaning of Awo
Inspired by the grandmother.
The storyteller, teacher and guide who passes knowledge from one generation to the next.
Awo draws its name and inspiration from the grandmother’s wisdom, spiritual strength and care for cultural knowledge. Her example shapes our responsibility to the materials and people we work with.
About AwoOur initiatives
Three initiatives for the care of archives.
01
Family Archives
Helping individuals and families care for photographs, letters, papers and recordings, and keep the stories connected to them.
Explore Family Archives02
Archives Emergency Response
Assessment and recovery planning for archives damaged by water, fire, mould, pests or unsuitable storage.
Explore Archives Emergency Response03
Borkor
Traditional and popular music and oral history: caring for recordings and the knowledge of the people connected to them.
Explore BorkorWork with us
Tell us what you hold.
We welcome enquiries about collections, donations, partnerships and support for Awo. You do not need a complete catalogue to begin a conversation.
We also offer paid archival and preservation services for individuals and organisations. View commercial services