About
The Eunice Amoka-Bankole Street Dreams Project uses art and storytelling to empower young women to lead profitable environmental initiatives in their communities. Built on an ecofeminist theory of change, the project recognises that women's empowerment and environmental protection are deeply connected. When women have the tools, resources, and creative platforms to tell their stories, they can drive both social and environmental transformation. Through training, mentorship, and community engagement, Street Dreams equips women and girls with creative and practical skills that help them build livelihoods while addressing environmental challenges around them.
Honouring Eunice Amoka-Bankole
The Street Dreams Project was renamed in honour of Eunice Amoka-Bankole, our cherished friend, colleague, and former Lead of the SustyVibes Women Development Team, who passed away in August 2019. Eunice was a passionate advocate for sustainability and women's development. Known for her gentle but courageous leadership, she believed strongly in the power of women to transform their communities. In 2017, Eunice conceptualised and led the Street Dreams Project, working with partners and securing funding to launch the first cohort. Her warmth, determination, and passion brought energy and purpose to the work. Today, the Eunice Amoka-Bankole Street Dreams Project continues her legacy by empowering women to become environmental storytellers, innovators, and community leaders.
Phase One (2018) - Photography and Pollution in the Niger Delta
In the first cohort of the Street Dreams Project, we trained 10 young women from underrepresented communities in the Niger Delta in environmental storytelling through photography. Participants received cameras and hands-on training to support their journeys as visual storytellers. Beyond building photography skills, the project also supported them to generate income through online image sales in partnership with Lensational. Selected photographs from the cohort were later showcased at the African Artists Foundation and during Susty Party 2018, creating wider visibility for their work and the stories they captured.
Phase Two (2023) - Upcycling and Plastic Pollution
The second phase of the project focused on tackling plastic pollution and throw-away culture by equipping rural women and girls with practical upcycling skills. Through the project, 50 women and girls in Ondo State were trained in waste-to-wealth techniques that transform discarded nylon into usable products such as bags and purses. A major milestone of this phase was the construction of the Eunice Amoka-Bankole Street Dreams Upcycling and Weaving Training Center. The centre is equipped with floor lap looms, small lap looms, sewing machines, and other essential tailoring tools.
Voices
What people are saying.
“The workshop helped me understand how people respond to documentaries in different parts of the city. I became more conscious of how I tell my stories and bold enough to approach subjects and ask for consent. I began to see every place and every moment as an opportunity to create.”
Victoria Akere
“The project gave me a broader understanding of photography and how we can use pictures to create awareness about environmental pollution and its effects on businesses, especially women's businesses in rural areas. My favourite moment was the photo exhibition in December 2018 when my photographs were officially displayed and auctioned.”
Tamara-Tonye
“I was surprised that we could make a bag from waste nylon. I would like to thank the team for the opportunity to learn, I learned a lot and I will be able to train others.”
Agnes
Fashion designer at Durian Village, Imafon
“Participating in this training has been a thing of joy for me. It was during these sessions that I realized waste nylon is not truly waste; the very material we discarded has been repurposed to create bags and purses.”
Prisca
Community Member and Mother of 3
