Accra - AfroWomenPoetry is a project that portraits the female universe in a changing Africa and it’s an hymn to the beauty and inner strength of the African women. With AfroWomenPoetry Antonella Sinopoli, an Italian journalist based in Ghana, founder of the project and editor in chief of Voci Globali, is giving voice to African female poets and room to their verses. “I’m black not because I’m African, black is what I feel” says Nana Nyarko Boateng, a Ghanaian female poet, when the video recorded by the Italian journalist to crowd found this project starts. “Poetry accounts for an important instrument, a free zone – Antonella Sinopoli says – that allows people to express themselves freely”. “AfroWomenPoetry” started three months ago in Ghana, a country where women hold an important role in society, politics and entrepreneurial activity. Yet cultural differences and the supremacy of sexist traditions restrict women’s emancipation and limit their chances of personal growth and free thinking. "All the artists we contacted responded with enthusiasm to the project when invited to take part in it” says Antonella, that is now traveling throughout Togo where she is meeting with togolese female authors and where she is recording them while performing their verses.“The artists’ verses blend together themes, feelings and emotions that shape the modern African woman’s identity” Antonella Sinopoli explains. The verses often tell stories of domestic violence, century-long oppressive traditions, feminism and pride in being African. One recurring thread is the beauty of the African woman, which is often neglected and has to bend to the Western beauty standards instead. AfroWomenPoetry is also a website with a multilingual option, so far it is in English, Italian and after the recording in Togo, will be also in French. Transcriptions of each poem, performed in a video by the artist, are included in the website, both in their original version and translated into Italian. It is also possible to access the videos via a YouTube channel, which features a short explanation of the texts. “AfroWomenPoetry is still in its infancy - highlights Antonella Sinopoli from the pages of her website - but, with baby steps and steady, unshakeable motivation, its ultimate and ambitious goal is to expand to several other Sub-Saharan countries". These poets, in the aim of the project's founder, wants to open minds and widen the global knowledge about Africa and its women. Along with Antonella Sinopoli, who is also in charge of the videos, images, video and text editing, there is a staff of Italian editors, translators, creative and journalists assisting and they are: Carolina Carta, videos, images, text editing, editorial office secretary; Davide Galati, technical and editorial coordination, website creation; Stefania Gliedman, translation supervisor, text editing; Anarkikka, artist, she designed the website header and the logo; and Maria Pia Arpioni, Julia Arena, Azzurra De Paola, Stefania Gliedman, Serena Piccoli, Pina Piccolo, Maria Luisa Vezzali, translators. For info https://afrowomenpoetry.net - and to support the crowdfunding https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/afrowomenpoetry-africa-women#/.