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Preserve African languages. Strengthen identity. Creating links.
Africa also applies: language is heritage
In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, thousands of people speak african languages. Nevertheless, these languages often go in the Diaspora lost within a generation. Everyday life leaves little space for exchange, children grow up with German, mother tongue puts in the background.
And with her a piece of culture: stories, words, a whole way of thinking. The Sankofa-Lingua Academy is committed to this cultural heritage through living and accessible Language exchange to keep alive.
And with her a piece of culture: stories, words, a whole way of thinking. The Sankofa-Lingua Academy is committed to this cultural heritage through living and accessible Language exchange to keep alive.
Course hours per month
Successful qualifications
Satisfied customers since 2018
A continent, thousands of voices
Why is the Sankofa-Lingua Academy?
Africa is one of linguistically diverse continents of the world. Thousands of languages from four major language families are spoken here. Nevertheless, today Lingua Franca mainly English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. A result of the colonial history that continues to work today.
Sankofa Lingua was born out of the conviction that african languages earn a fixed place. We teach native speakers from different regions of the continent. They bring what no other provider delivers in the DACH region: real cultural context.
For the African diaspora this means: Many grow multilingual with German or Swiss German at school and at work. Meanwhile, English, French or Portuguese are spoken at home or in the media. But the Language of grandparents often stays on the track. Not from disinterest, but because it simply lacks opportunities to learn them. There is so much more in these languages than grammar and vocabulary.
Sankofa Lingua was born out of the conviction that african languages earn a fixed place. We teach native speakers from different regions of the continent. They bring what no other provider delivers in the DACH region: real cultural context.
Our philosophy
What's the name of Sankofa?
The Sankofa-Lingua Academy bears a name with history. It comes from the philosophy of the Akan in Ghana and partly the Ivory Coast. Sankofa means as much as: Go back and get what you forgot!
In Akan, the phrase ‘S where were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi.
In Akan, the phrase ‘S where were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi.
Many know the symbol: A bird that turns his head back to take an egg from his back. He remembers that Past and Future. It's worth looking back before you go on.
For us, Sankofa is more than just a name. It's the idea behind everything we do. Language is nothing that must be lost. It can be retrieved, learn new and pass on to the next generation.
Our lessons
Online language courses with Sankofa-Lingua Academy
At Sankofa-Lingua you learn live and online, in small groups or in individual classes. Our class suits you. Whether you start at zero or have basics, whether you are preparing for a trip or simply curious. We'll pick you up where you stand. Learn with us a variety of african languages.
A Trimester takes ten weeks with two hours a week. Enough time to get in, keep up and make real progress. And who is insecure can use the first hour as a trial date.
But the most important are not the formats. They are the people who teach. All our teachers are native speakers from different regions of Africa and bring what no textbook alone can convey:
The sound, the rhythm, the little nuances that make a language alive. This is a cultural context. Speaking words, phrases, stories that explain why something is said and not different.
The sound, the rhythm, the little nuances that make a language alive. This is a cultural context. Speaking words, phrases, stories that explain why something is said and not different.
Language ambassadors
Our course guides
Kwadwo Owusu Ansah
Course manager Twi
Joy Ashitey
Course manager Ga
Kapi grave
Teacher Lingala
Samuel Olawale Olatidoye
Course manager Yoruba
Uchenna Anyanwu
Course manager Igbo
Abdullahi
Course manager Hausa
Fabrice-Mbo Kingata
Course manager Kikongo
Yolanda Nkosazana Nkqwitha
Course manager Xhosa
Salma Rashid Adam
Course manager Swahili
Kossi Aziabou
Course manager Ewe
Mosisa Teferi Timotewos
Course Director Amharisch and Oromo
Jimmy Mpano
Course manager Kinyarwanda
Bietiel Biniam
Course manager Tigrinya
Musa Ceesay
Course manager Wolof
The team in the background
Your contact for all organizational questions
Akwasi Badu-Aning
CEO - Founder
The history of Sankofa
From idea to language school
A German-African Heart
In Ghana and in the African community of Berlin, our founder Akwasi began to deal more intensively with the Ghana culture. Even then he noticed that many people with Ghana roots hardly speak their native language. The praise of older people for the mastery of their mother tongue often found Akwasi strange.
African life in Germany becomes visible
Deeply rooted in the Ghanaian-African community in Berlin, Akwasi acted as a multiplier and gatekeeper for African life and culture in Berlin. In 2015, television was also attentive to him. The Pro7 format "Galileo" accompanied Akwasi at that time for one day through the hotspots of African life in Berlin.
Languagelessness in the municipalities
With time it became clear that traditional elements are lived in many communities, but the language is rarely passed on. Akwasi quickly realized that languages are a central part of every culture and that their sharing is crucial for understanding and preserving culture.
Together for the preservation of traditional languages
Together with the Ujamaa Culture Center e.V., first reflections were made on how this speech loss can be countered. It quickly became clear that a way had to be created to learn the lost languages. The first language course for Twi, which is mainly spoken in Ghana, was started
Foundation of the Sankofa language school
The success of the first Twi courses has encouraged Akwasi to plan its own language school for 2019. In addition, more and more people came to us and asked for courses also in other African languages. In 2020, Sankofa offered the first 6 language courses.
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