Zapoetryhouse Foundation
Poetry & Spoken Word
Performances, Open Mic, Poetry Circles, and Book Club activities.
Zapoetryhouse
Building spaces where voices become movements.
CREATIVITY • CULTURE • EDUCATION • YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
We create spaces where young people speak, create, connect, and lead — through poetry, arts, and culture, building communities and driving social change.
ZAPOETRYHOUSE AT A GLANCE
Two registered entities
One shared identity
Rooted in Northern Nigeria
ABOUT ZAPOETRYHOUSE
Building spaces where voices become movements.
Zapoetryhouse creates spaces where young people speak, create, connect, and lead through poetry, arts, and culture — building communities and driving social change.
Creativity • Culture • Education • Youth Empowerment
WHAT WE DO
One Zapoetryhouse. Two distinct arms.
Zapoetryhouse Foundation
UNMUTE: Art for Social Change
Workshops, creative training, and youth engagement.
Zapoetryhouse Foundation
Numfashin Arewa
Northern voices, storytelling, and cultural preservation.
Zapoetryhouse Ltd
Events & Creative Consultancy
Stage production, curation, and community showcases.
HOW ZAPOETRYHOUSE IS STRUCTURED
OUR ARMS
Two registered entities. Distinct mandates. One Zapoetryhouse identity.
Zapoetryhouse operates through two separately registered entities. Open either panel to explore its mandate, programmes, services, and ways to engage.
Education • Culture • Social Welfare Zapoetryhouse Foundation Community programmes, learning, culture and social impact
ZAPOETRYHOUSE FOUNDATION
Creative expression as a tool for empowerment, healing, education, and community.
The Foundation focuses on education, culture, social welfare, youth development, creative expression, and community engagement, with particular attention to girls and underserved communities.
VISION
The society we want to help build
A society where young people, especially girls and underserved communities, can heal, learn, lead, and thrive through creative expression, cultural identity, and community engagement.
MISSION
How we work toward it
To use poetry, storytelling, arts education, cultural heritage, and creative expression as tools for empowerment, healing, education, social cohesion, and sustainable development.
CORE VALUES
The principles behind the Foundation’s work.
Voice
Every individual deserves the opportunity to be heard.
Creativity
Creative expression can transform lives and communities.
Equity
Everyone deserves access to opportunities regardless of background.
Community
Lasting impact is built through collaboration.
Integrity
We act honestly, transparently, and responsibly.
Heritage
We preserve and celebrate culture, history, and identity.
Creative Arts • Events • Partnerships Zapoetryhouse Ltd Creative production, events, storytelling and collaborations
ZAPOETRYHOUSE LTD
Africa-rooted storytelling, creative production, experiences, and innovation.
Zapoetryhouse Ltd is a Nigerian creative company working across storytelling, media, arts education, events, and partnerships. It helps organisations communicate clearly, create memorable experiences, and open opportunities for African creatives.
WHAT ZAPOETRYHOUSE LTD DOES
Creative services that turn ideas into strong stories, events, and experiences.
Digital Storytelling
Content strategy, documentaries, and branded storytelling.
Creative Media Production
Photography, video, podcasts, and spoken word production.
Arts Education
Creative workshops, school programmes, and digital learning experiences.
Events & Experiences
Festivals, conferences, performances, and cultural activations.
Creator Development
Training, mentorship, and creative entrepreneurship support.
Stories people connect with
Clear, creative communication designed to build trust and connection.
English & Hausa
Professional storytelling for audiences across both languages.
Culture and digital tools
Modern tools used without losing cultural context, emotion, or authenticity.
Professional and human
High-quality work that remains culturally grounded, warm, and memorable.
From story to stage to screen. The Ltd arm is built for brands, institutions, educators, communities, and partners seeking culturally intelligent creative work.
FOUNDATION — FOUNDER’S VISION & STORY
From Silence to Voice
Zapoetryhouse grew from founder Basira Rabiu Idris’s own journey of finding her voice through writing, poetry, mentorship, and community building. From her secondary school Press Club years (2008–2014) and her first public poetry performance in 2017, to her work within Kebbi Poetry Club from 2019 and a poetry club she established during her NYSC service in Bali, Taraba State (2021–2022), she saw repeatedly how creative expression could build confidence, leadership, connection, and hope.
The idea, community work, and early operations that would become Zapoetryhouse were already taking shape from 2019. In 2023, the name Zapoetryhouse was coined and the work was established as an independent platform rooted in Northern Nigerian identity and committed to using poetry and creative expression as tools for social change. “Za” is derived from the Hausa expression for “the,” making Zapoetryhouse “The Poetry House.”
“What many of them needed was not someone to speak for them. They needed someone to create the conditions where they could speak for themselves.”
— Basira Rabiu Idris, Founder
ZAPOETRYHOUSE FOUNDATION
ZAPOETRYHOUSE FOUNDATION — PROGRAMMES
Education, culture, social welfare, and creative development in action.
The Foundation runs year-round creative programmes, literary gatherings, cultural activities, workshops, and community-focused initiatives.
ART & ADVOCACY
UN-MUTE: Art for Social Change
A creative social-impact programme using poetry, spoken word, performance, visual art, and participatory experiences to amplify young voices and inspire social change.
RECURRING
Book O'Clock
A reading and literary discussion circle building a culture of reading alongside performance-based programming.
MONTHLY
Open Mic Saturdays
A consistent stage for poets and performers to share original work and build community between larger events.
WEEKLY
Poetry Clinic Tuesdays (Online)
Live poem-editing sessions where members workshop and strengthen each other's writing, line by line.
HOSTED PROGRAMME
CCPC (Cross Country Poetry Celebration)
A national Poets in Nigeria initiative — the Foundation organizes and hosts the Kebbi State edition each year.
SCHOOLS
Inter-Secondary School Poetry Slam
A schools competition discovering young poetic talent, with scholarships awarded to top performers.
CULTURE & HERITAGE
Numfashin Arewa Activities
Cultural and creative activities centred on Northern Nigerian heritage, identity, storytelling, and artistic expression.
COMMUNITY POETRY CIRCLE
Neem Tree Circle
A community-based poetry and creative gathering for reading, reflection, performance, peer learning, and connection.
LEARNING
Creative Workshops
Practical workshops using poetry, storytelling, arts education, and creative expression for learning, skills, and personal development.
LITERARY COMMUNITY
Zapoetryhouse Literary & Performance Circle
A recurring literary and performance gathering bringing poets, storytellers, readers, performers, and community members together for open mic, readings, storytelling, and creative connection.
FOUNDATION PROJECTS
Other Foundation Projects
Additional cultural, educational, youth-development, and community initiatives delivered independently or with partners.
FOUNDATION IMPACT SO FAR
Numbers that keep growing.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Moments from across our programmes.
“My voice matters. My story matters.”
UNCAGE YOUR VOICE. THE MIC IS OPEN.
Join a programme, volunteer, partner with us, or watch our work on YouTube.