A growing network bringing together African communities across Camden celebrated its first anniversary with an evening of African culture, food and music.
Founded in October 2025, the Camden African Network brings together residents of African heritage from across the borough.
It provides a space for people of all ages to celebrate their heritage, connect with others, promote positive health and wellbeing, and help tackle loneliness and isolation.
Sal Sahid-Kamara, co-ordinator and trustee of the Camden African Network, said: “There are 54 countries in Africa, all with different cultures, languages and traditions.
“We realised there are a lot of Africans in Camden, but there wasn’t really a structure where we could come together, share our culture and support one another.
“Africans have a lot to offer and a lot to share, which is why we created the network. It’s a place where people can connect, celebrate their heritage and support one another.
“It’s also a network for our children to meet and play together, and for older people to come out of isolation, meet others and share their experiences.”
Marking a year of community connections
The special anniversary event, held on Friday 16 October at the Crowndale Centre, coincided with Black History Month.
Attendees sampled dishes from different African countries and experienced traditional Eritrean tea and coffee, as well as a demonstration on how to tie traditional Nigerian head ties.
Activities also included an African dance workshop, a storytelling session with Grace Quansah, known as Akuba, and a performance from poet Nelissa Mendy.
Local artist Matthew Small spoke about how he creates his distinctive portrait artwork, while author Chris Kolade shared insights from his book Co-parenting Through Conflict.
Sal, who is originally from Sierra Leone but has lived in the borough for 25 years, said: “The ambience was really nice. Everyone was happy, everyone felt free and everyone felt comfortable.
“People were trying different foods, learning about different cultures and celebrating together. You could see children enjoying themselves, families connecting, and people feeling represented.
“We’re not just limited to Africans, though. People from different backgrounds came along to celebrate with us.”
“It was wonderful to see friends, neighbours and supporters coming together to celebrate with us.”
Community-led funding making a difference
The anniversary celebration built on the success of the network’s previous Health and Cultural Fest event in August, which was organised in partnership with the Camden Mobile Health Bus team.
The event, also held at the Crowndale Centre, was supported by a grant from the We Make Camden Kit, which is funded by Camden Council and local businesses.
The kit empowers residents to lead change in their communities, focusing on themes like access to food, diversity, and opportunities for young people.
The kit is managed by charity partner, Camden Giving and funding decisions are made by a diverse panel of residents from across the borough.
Around 100 residents attended the event, with the Camden Mobile Health Bus providing free checks, including blood pressure monitoring, while speakers shared information about health issues affecting Afro-Caribbean communities, such as sickle cell disease.
Sal said: “It was very good. We had a lot of people come turn up to donate blood to the charity, Sickle Cell Society. We were able to get people involved in helping to save lives by giving blood.
“We’ve had people contacting us asking when we’re going to do this again.”
Speaking about how the grant from the We Make Camden Kit had supported the event, she said: “It’s only when we have funding that we’re able to provide things like the specialist speakers, whose time we have to pay for. Otherwise, we’re quite limited.”
Sal, who works in health and social care, said bringing health checks and information into a community setting helped reach people who might not otherwise access those services.
Creating a stronger community
Speaking about the role of the network, she said: “We’re building trust, and if we can’t find the answers ourselves, we’ll support people by signposting them to the right person or department.”
The network currently has 90 registered members and is hoping to welcome more residents.
Sal said: “We want the network to keep growing. It’s free to join and everyone is welcome. We want people to feel they belong and have a place where they can come together as a community.”
The group is also applying to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), which will help it reinvest any income into community activities and support future events and services.
Speaking about the importance of celebrating Black History Month, Sal said:
“People often think Africa is just one country, but it’s a continent made up of many different countries, cultures and traditions.
“Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate and learn from one another. As well as recognising the contribution of Caribbean communities and the Windrush generation, it’s important for our children of African heritage to see and learn about the different cultures, foods and traditions across Africa.
“Events like our anniversary celebration, and the one we held in August, are a great way of celebrating that and bringing people together.”
Find out more
Celebrate Camden’s Black culture, history and communities this Black History Season. Discover events and activities taking place across the borough from October to December at www.lovecamden.org/picks/black-history-season-2026
Contact the Camden African Network at camdenafricannetwork@gmail.com
📷 Photo credit: Lubaba Khalid
