The Oral Tradition ROOTS Foundation (Trinidad and Tobago) was founded by Mtima Solwazi, a visionary ARTivist Educator whose work sits at the intersection of Art, Activism, and Education. Mtima is the 2025 recipient of the Hummingbird Medal Silver National Award in the sphere of Culture and the Arts.

ROOTS Foundation is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social change through spoken word poetry and other oral traditions. Established in 2005 [registered in 2009] as a community-based cultural and educational organization, we use storytelling, creative expression, and skills training as tools for youth development, social transformation, and economic empowerment.  With two decades (2005-2025) of experience:

Spoken Word Poetry and Oral Traditions

Youth Mentorship and Leadership Development

Life Management Skills

Creative Arts Education

Workforce Readiness and Certification Support

ROOTS Foundation’s flagship project ROOTS CAFÉTT - Creative Academy for EduTainmenT is a structured response to youth unemployment, skills gaps, and limited access to creative and administrative training, particularly in marginalized and rural communities. This regional creative arts-based school redesigns education and youth development through digital transformation, edutainment, culture, entrepreneurship, sustainable development and lifelong learning through its STREAM Model: Storytelling, Training, Reading, Entrepreneurship, Arts, and Mentorship and Life Management Curriculum.