Year: 2016
WORLD AIDS DAY 2016: Young women’s bodily rights, HIV prevention, and intersections with violence against women.
WORLD AIDS DAY 2016: Young women’s bodily rights, HIV prevention, and intersections with violence against women.
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GRANT APPLICATION GUIDELINES
World AIDS Day 2016
Despite important progress, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to impact the lives of women and girls, with African women still disproportionately infected and continuing to carry the work of care and support at community and family level.
HIV prevention remains a concern, as rates of new HIV infections are not declining as hoped. Young African women aged 15-24 account for 25% of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa – a statistic that shows a need to keep our focus on young women’s lives and rights.
For World AIDS Day 2016, AWDF is offering grants to support activities by African women’s organisations focused on young women’s bodily rights, HIV prevention, and intersections with violence against women. We encourage approaches that address the underlying needs to support young women to make positive choices around their bodies and health, and build societies that support their right to live free from violence in the context of HIV and AIDS.
We particularly welcome applications from organisations of women living with HIV, groups of women living with disabilities, and from young women’s groups. AWDF encourages innovation- so do send in your creative ideas!
About the World AIDS Day Grants
Every year on 1 December we commemorate World AIDS Day, as an act of solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS, and an opportunity to remind duty bearers and society at large to keep the focus and momentum on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
AWDF instituted the World AIDS Day (WAD) grants programme to support women’s rights organisations to actively participate in the global campaign andkeep African women’s priorities around HIV&AIDS on the African and global agenda. The programme seeks to support women’s organisations to raise their voices and support the leadership of women living with HIV&AIDS
The WAD programme provides a maximum grant of $1000 to women’s organisations. The activities must promote women’s rights and involve women in planning and leadership of activities.
How to apply
Please follow the application guidelines below. Note that the maximum amount of grant allowed is $1,000. If you are awarded a grant, you will be expected to send in a report of your activities that contain concrete outcome(s) of the activities implemented.
Applicants must fit AWDF’s general grantee guidelines (women-led, African women’s rights organisations).
Questions to answer:
1. CONTACT INFORMATION
- Name of Organization
- Address (Postal and Physical)
- Telephone and Fax number
- E-mail address, and World Wide Web address (if any)
- Contact person’s name and title
- Who completed this proposal? Please sign and date
- How did you learn about the African Women’s Development Fund?
2. ORGANISATIONAL INFORMATION
- What are your organization’s main goals?
- When was your organization formed/
- Who started your organization and why?
- Is your organization local, national, sub – regional, or regional?
- Who are the main beneficiaries of your organization’s activities?
- Is your organization women-led?
- Is your organisation a women’s rights organisation? Do you identify as feminist? (please explain)
3. Activities and / or programs
- What are your organisations key programme areas?
- Describe your organizations present activities and /or programs
- How does the project you are apply for fit into those plans?
4. Structure
- State number of board members, staff, volunteers and members if any. How many are women?
5. Finance
- What is your annual operating budget for the last 3 years (please indicate the total amount raised each year)?
- Who are your donors for the current year?
6. Grant Request Information
- What activities do you plan to conduct on World AIDS Day with funds from the African Women’s Development Fund? Please tell us specifically and clearly what activities the grant will be used for.
- How much money are you applying for?
- What are the key messages that you will use for the World AIDS Day activity?
- What are the objectives of the activity?
- What are the expected outcomes – what do you hope to achienve?
- Who do you plan to involve directly (direct beneficiaries)? How they will benefit?
- How many people do you expect to reach indirectly through the project (indirect beneficiaries). How they will benefit?
- Where will the project take place?
- Provide a detailed budget for the project, if you have prepared the budget using your local currency; please include the US dollar equivalent.
APPLICATIONS SHOULD NOT EXCEED 4 PAGES
NOTE:
- Please attach a reference letter from one of your donors, an AWDF grantee or a government agency or local authority where the project will be implemented.
- You also must complete a financial management form and an outcome forms
Applications are due by September 12th 2016
Applications should be submitted by email to:
The Grants Administrator, The African Women’s Development Fund
Email: awdf@africlub.net/awdf / shirley@africlub.net/awdf
If you are not able to send the application by email you may submit it by post to: The African Women’s Development Fund, PMB CT 89, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
Or in person / by courier at: Plot 78 Justice Sarkodie Addoo Avenue, East Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Along with the Application, please attach the Outcomes Framework and Financial Management Assessment. Both forms as well as the Application are available below for download.
Framework for Measuring Outcomes
Financial Management Assessment Guidelines
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JOURNEE MONDIALE DE LUTTE CONTRE LE SIDA 2016: Droits A L’integrite Corporelles Des Jeunes Femmes, la Prévention du VIH et ses liens avec Les Violences Faites Aux Femmes.
CANEVAS DE DEMANDE DE SUBVENTION
JOURNEE MONDIALE DE LUTTE CONTRE LE SIDA 2016
Malgré les nombreux progrès, la pandémique du VIH continue d’avoir un impact sur la vie des femmes et des filles. De plus en Afrique, les femmes sont disproportionnellement infectées et continuent de prendre soin de leurs familles et communautés.
La prévention du VIH demeure un souci majeur du moment où les taux d’infections ne descendent pas comme on l’aurait souhaité. 25% des nouvelles infections en Afrique subsaharienne sont attribuées aux jeunes femmes africaines âgées de 15 à 24 ans. Ce sont là des données statistiques qui montrent qu’il ne faut pas négliger la vie et les droits des jeunes femmes
Pour commémorer la Journée Mondiale de Lutte contre le Sida de 2016, l’AWDF souhaite financer des projets sur les droits à l’intégrité corporelle des jeunes femmes, la prévention du VIH, et ses liens avec les violences faites aux femmes. Nous désirons voir des initiatives qui vise à répondre aux besoins fondamentaux des jeunes femmes, leur permettant ainsi de faire des choix positifs relatifs à leur corps et santé et bâtir une société qui cherche à promouvoir leurs droits à l’abri de toute forme de violence dans le contexte du VIH/SIDA.
Nous souhaiterons recevoir des projets des organisations de femmes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA, des groupements des femmes handicapées et de jeunes filles, donc veuillez nous envoyer vos idées ingénieuses.
Les subventions de projets pour la commémoration de la Journée Mondiale de Lutte contre le SIDA
Tous les 1er décembre de chaque année nous célébrons la Journée Mondiale de lutte contre le SIDA et cette commémoration marque un acte de solidarité pour les personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA. C’est aussi une occasion pour rappeler à nos gouvernements et à la société en général de ne pas négliger la question de la prévention du VIH, du traitement, des soins et soutien.
L’AWDF a créé un programme de subvention pour la journée mondiale de Lutte contre le SIDA pour permettre aux organisations de droits de femmes de participer activement à la campagne mondiale et de maintenir sur le l’agenda mondial les priorités des femmes en Afrique. Ce programme vise donc à appuyer les organisations de femmes pour amplifier leur voix et renforcer le leadership des femmes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA.
Dans le cadre du programme de la Journée Mondiale de Lutte contre le SIDA, les subventions octroyées sont d’un montant maximum de 1.000 Dollars et les activités prévues dans le projet doivent promouvoir les droits des femmes et assurer leur implication dans la planification et la gestion de ces dernières.
Comment postuler?
Merci de suivre le canevas ci-dessous. Nous vous informons que le montant maximum de la subvention allouée sera de 1000$ et que vous devrez nous faire parvenir un rapport de votre projet précisant les résultats concrets des activités réalisées.
Les organisations qui postulent remplir les critères d’éligibilité pour être qualifié comme bénéficiaires de l’\AWDF. (Être une organisation gérée par les femmes et une organisation africaines de droits des femmes.)
Afin de pouvoir étudier votre demande de subvention pour des activités dans le cadre des 16 jours d’activisme contre les violences basées sur le genre, merci de suivre attentivement les directives ci-après. Veuillez noter que seuls les projets dont les stratégies d’exécution seront les plus efficaces et innovatrices seront retenus.
COORDONNEES
- Nom de l’organisation
- Adresse (postale et physique)
- Numéro de téléphone et de fax
- Adresse Email et adresse internet (si possible)
- Nom et position de la personne à contacter
- Qui a rempli cette demande ? Merci d’apposer la date et la signature
- Comment avez-vous entendu parler du Fonds Africain pour le Développement de la Femme ?
INFORMATIONS SUR L’ORGANISATION
- Quels sont les objectifs principaux de votre organisation ?
- Quand votre organisation a-t-elle été formée ?
- Par qui votre organisation a-t-elle été formée et pour quelles raisons ?
- Votre organisation est-elle locale, nationale, sous régionale ou régionale ?
- Qui sont les principaux bénéficiaires des activités de votre organisation ?
- Votre organisation est-elle dirigée par des femmes ? Est-elle féministe ? (Si oui, merci de donner quelques caractéristiques le prouvant)
ACTIVITES ET / OU PROGRAMMES
- Quels sont les domaines de programme clés de votre organisation ?
- Décrivez les activités et / ou programmes actuel(le)s de votre organisation.
- En quoi le projet pour lequel vous demandez une subvention s’intègre-t-il dans ce schéma ?
STRUCTURE
- Nombre de membres du Conseil d’Administration, d’employés, de bénévoles et de membres s’il y en a.
FINANCE
- Quel est votre budget de fonctionnement annuel au cours des trois dernières années ?
- Qui sont vos bailleurs de fonds pour l’année en cours ?
INFORMATIONS SUR LA DEMANDE DE SUBVENTIONS
- Quelle est le montant de la subvention que vous sollicitez ?
- Dans quel(s) but(s) faites-vous une demande de subvention pour les 16 jours d’activisme contre les violences faites aux femmes auprès du Fonds Africain pour le Développement de la Femme? Merci de décrire précisément et clairement les activités pour lesquelles la subvention sera utilisée.
- Quels sont les objectifs du projet ?
- Quels sont les résultats attendus ?
- Selon vous, combien de personnes bénéficieront directement du projet ? De quelle manière?
- Selon vous, combien de personnes bénéficieront indirectement du projet ? De quelle manière?
- Où se déroulera le projet ?
- Veuillez joindre le budget de votre projet. Si votre budget a été réalisé en monnaie locale, merci d’inclure la conversion en dollars US.
LA DEMANDE NE DOIT PAS EXCEDER 4 PAGES
NB:
- Merci de joindre une lettre de recommandation à votre dossier. Celle-ci peut venir de l’un de vos bailleurs de fonds, d’un bénéficiaire de l’AWDF, d’un organisme gouvernemental ou encore d’une autorité locale du lieu où le projet se déroulera.
- Vous devez également remplir le formulaire de gestion financière et de résultats.
Délai de soumission des demandes: 12 septembre 2016
Prière d’envoyer vos demandes à l’adresse suivante:
L’Administratrice des subventions
The African Women’s Development Fund / Fonds Africain pour le Développement de la Femme
Email: awdf@africlub.net/awdf / shirley@africlub.net/awdf
Tel: +233 (0) 289 669 666
Website: www.africlub.net/awdf
Si vous ne pouvez pas envoyer votre demande par email, veuillez l’envoyer par voie postale à l’adresse suivante :
The African Women’s Development Fund,
PMB CT 89, Cantonments
Accra, Ghana
Ou en personne / par courier à l’adresse suivante:
Plot 78 Justice Sarkodie Addo Avenue
East Legon, Accra, Ghana.
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HIV/AIDS AND STIGMATIZATION: THE FIGHT OF THE ATFS
HIV/AIDS AND STIGMATIZATION: THE FIGHT OF THE ATFS
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The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) actively supports organisations working for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in Africa. As such, AWDF provided a grant to the Association Togolaise “Femmes et Sida” (ATFS) to finance its economic empowerment project of women and young girls living with HIV/AIDS and also organise an anti-stigmatization campaign in the district of Agoè, Lomé, Togo.
In Togo as in lots of places, despite many years of fighting HIV/AIDS, the disease continues to spread and cause havoc, which is a hindrance to the country’s development. Because of inadequate access to health-care and lack of awareness on prevention, HIV/AIDS is a serious threat to public health, and also causes the discrimination, stigmatization, refusal of medical care or even the right to have a family, professional and social exclusion of affected people. It is more obvious that challenges to this scourge still persist.
With this background, the ATFS has chosen to focus on two main objectives: the awareness and the education of the community to reduce stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS and also the reduction of the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS on women who are living with it.
Thus, thanks to AWDF and the close cooperation of other local partners, an important campaign of awareness has been established by the ATFS. The creation of posters, prospectus and radio campaigns against the stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS and also direct discussions with the community have helped to decrease the discrimination of people who are affected by the disease.
Furthermore, in an effort to strengthen the empowerment of people who are affected, the ATFS selected thirty women and young girls living with HIV/AIDS in a precarious situation. These women took advantage of a learning experience and micro-credits which gave them access to the management of an income-generating activity.
Concretely, at the end of this project, it must be noted that there is a better fulfillment of women living with HIV/AIDS. Because of the opportunity to manage an income-generating activity, the status of women has improved. As a result of this, husbands give more regard and respect to their wives since they are now able to provide for their basic family needs. For example, thanks to this help, one of beneficiaries has been able to pay the health-care of her sick son.
Furthermore, within the community, a real change in mentality took place in the district of Agoè. As a result of the decline of stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS, life for affected women is better. The community has realized their human value and their rights which makes them more confident. One of beneficiaries has stated that: “we’re going out of a situation of fear knowing that there are some struggles for our legal, social and economic protection”.
Finally, even if there are some laws and policies aimed at combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, actions like this one are essential. To illustrate, after a meeting with the community during the prevention campaign, a man said that: “Ladies, this is gold that you are giving to us and this is human lives that you are saving”.
The great public mobilization and the beneficiaries’ goodwill have helped to realize significant improvements, both in terms of awareness of the community and improvement of the quality of the lives women living with HIV/AIDS.
However, the fight is not over, it must be continued and scaled up to improve the lives of the entire population of people living with HIV/AIDS.
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SIDA ET STIGMATISATION : LE COMBAT DE L’ATFS
Le Fonds Africain pour le Développement de la Femme (AWDF) soutient activement des organisations œuvrant pour la prévention et la lutte contre le VIH / SIDA auprès des populations africaines. A ce titre, l’AWDF a octroyé une subvention à l’Association Togolaise “Femmes et Sida” (ATFS) afin de financer son projet d’autonomisation économique des femmes et jeunes filles vivant avec le VIH/SIDA ainsi que l’organisation d’une campagne anti-stigmatisation dans le canton d’Agoè à Lomé au Togo.
Au Togo comme dans de nombreux endroits, malgré des années de lutte contre le VIH/SIDA, la maladie continue de se propager et de causer des ravages, freinant ainsi le développement du pays. Du fait d’un mauvais accès aux soins et d’un manque de prévention, le VIH/SIDA est un véritable problème de santé public qui entraine également la discrimination, la stigmatisation, le refus de soins médicaux ou encore l’exclusion familiale, professionnelle et sociale des personnes touchées. Force est de constater que les défis à relever face à ce fléau restent importants.
Dans ce contexte, l’ATFS a choisi de mettre l’accent sur deux points essentiels : la sensibilisation et l’éducation de la communauté en vue de faire reculer la stigmatisation et la discrimination des personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA ainsi que la réduction de l’impact socio-économique du VIH/SIDA sur les femmes vivant avec le virus.
Ainsi, grâce à l’AWDF et en étroite collaboration avec de nombreux partenaires locaux, une importante campagne de sensibilisation a été mise en place par l’ATFS. La création d’affiches, de prospectus et de campagnes radio contre la stigmatisation des personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA mais aussi des discussions directes avec la communauté ont permis de freiner la discrimination des personnes touchées par la maladie. De plus, dans une volonté de renforcer l’autonomisation des personnes atteintes, l’ATFS a sélectionné trente femmes et jeunes filles vivant avec le VIH/SIDA et en situation précaire afin de leur faire bénéficier d’une formation et de micro-crédits leur permettant d’accéder à la gestion d’une activité génératrice de revenus.
Concrètement, à l’issu de ce projet, on note un meilleur épanouissement des femmes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA. Ayant pu accéder à des activités génératrices de revenus, la condition des femmes se trouve améliorée notamment parce que leur époux les prennent d’avantage en considération, celles-ci pouvant subvenir aux besoins élémentaires de leur famille. A titre d’exemple, grâce à cet appui, une des bénéficiaires a pu économiser suffisamment pour faire soigner son fils souffrant.
De plus, au sein de la communauté, un véritable changement de mentalité s’est opéré dans le canton d’Agoè. Du fait du recul de la stigmatisation et de la discrimination des personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA, le quotidien des femmes touchées est meilleur. La communauté se rend davantage compte de leurs valeurs humaines et de leurs droits ce qui permet à ces femmes de reprendre confiance en elles. L’une des bénéficiaires a d’ailleurs affirmé : “nous sortons d’une situation de peur sachant que des luttes se mènent pour notre protection juridique, sociale et économique”.
Finalement, même si certaines lois et politiques visent bel et bien à lutter contre la propagation du VIH/SIDA, des actions comme celles réalisées par l’ATFS avec l’appui de l’AWDF apparaissent plus qu’essentielles, elles sont indispensables. Pour illustration, à la suite d’une rencontre avec la population dans le cadre de la campagne de prévention, un homme a déclaré : “Mesdames, c’est de l’or que vous nous donnez et c’est des vies humaines que vous sauvez”.
La grande mobilisation du public et la bonne volonté des bénéficiaires ont permis de réaliser des avancées notables, aussi bien en termes de prévention et de sensibilisation auprès de la communauté qu’en termes d’amélioration de la qualité de vie des femmes et jeunes filles atteintes du VIH/SIDA.
Toutefois, le combat n’est pas terminé, il doit être poursuivi et intensifié afin d’améliorer le quotidien d’une part plus importante de la population.
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Call for Proposals: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE.
Call for Proposals: 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE.
African women and tech activism (25 November – 10 December)
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
We live in a world increasingly shaped by mobile and online communication technologies. African uptake and participation in social media and mobile-technology platforms continues to grow. What does this mean for African women and girls?
For the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence this year, AWDF is looking to support African women’s rights organisations to organise initiatives that focus on women, communication technologies and activism against violence. Applications should be for up to USD$1,000. We are interested to receive applications from initiatives that engage young women and girls- in particular those led by young women themselves.
We encourage innovation- so send in your great ideas! Some ideas for projects include:
- Addressing cyber-harassment and online abuse of women
- Building women’s skills around privacy, security and activism against GBV online and in social media
- Supporting coding and app development around ending GBV
- Using online/social media tools for advocacy and changing mind-sets around violence against women
- Creating space for young and marginalised women to build community and discuss issues of bodily integrity, autonomy and freedom from violence using communication technologies.
How to apply
Please follow the guidelines below. Note that the maximum amount of grant allowed is $1,000. If you are awarded a grant, you will be expected to send in a report of your activities that contain concrete outcome(s) of the activities implemented.
Applicants must fit AWDF’s general grantee guidelines (women-led, African women’s rights organisations).
Questions to answer:
1. CONTACT INFORMATION
- Name of Organization
- Address (Postal and Physical)
- Telephone and Fax number
- E-mail address, and World Wide Web address (if any)
- Contact person’s name and title
- Who completed this proposal? Please sign and date
- How did you learn about the African Women’s Development Fund?
2. ORGANISATIONAL INFORMATION
- What are your organization’s main goals?
- When was your organization formed/
- Who started your organization and why?
- Is your organization local, national, sub – regional, or regional?
- Who are the main beneficiaries of your organization’s activities?
- Is your organization women-led?
- Is your organisation a women’s rights organisation? Do you identify as feminist? (please explain some characteristics that proves it)
3. Activities and / or programs
- What are your organisations key programme areas?
- Describe your organizations present activities and /or programs
- How does the project you are apply for fit into those plans?
4. Structure
- State number of board members, staff, volunteers and members if any. How many are women?
5. Finance
- What is your annual operating budget for the last 3 years?
- Who are your donors for the current year?
6. Grant Request Information
- How much money are you applying for?
- For what purpose are you seeking a grant for 16 Days of Activism against Gender based Violence from the African Women’s Development Fund? Please tell us specifically and clearly what activities the grant will be used for.
- What are the objectives of the project?
- What are the expected outcomes?
- Expected number of direct beneficiaries and how they will benefit.
- Expected number of indirect beneficiaries and how they will benefit.
- Where will the project take place?
- Provide a detailed budget for the project, if you have prepared the budget using your local currency; please include the US dollar equivalent.
APPLICATIONS SHOULD NOT EXCEED 4 PAGES
NOTE:
- Please attach a reference letter from one of your donors, an AWDF grantee or a government agency or local authority where the project will be implemented.
- You also must complete a financial management form and an outcome forms
Applications are due by September 5th 2016
Applications should be submitted to the following addresses:
The Grants Administrator
The African Women’s Development Fund
Plot 78 Ambassadorial Enclave, East Legon
PMB CT 89, Cantonments
Accra, Ghana
Tel: + 233 289 669666; +233 242 700881
Email: awdf@africlub.net/awdf; shirley@africlub.net/awdf
Website: www.africlub.net/awdf
TO DOWNLOAD THE CALL PLEASE CLICK HERE: 16 DAYS Guidelines 2016
THIRD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT
THIRD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT
THIRD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR AWDF GRANTEES IN
LAGOS, NIGERIA
16 – 18 AUGUST, 2016
“I am once more excited that The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is able to organise this important training with support from Comic Relief. Since 2014, thirty-six (36) organisations have benefited from our Finance Management Skills Trainings. Of these, 22 have already reported steps put in place toward sound financial systems. As feminist grant makers we understand the need for accountability and results and therefore work towards building robust organisations by investing in human resource development of our grantees. This skills enhancement training on finance management for finance officers and managers in Nigeria is one of the ways by which we do this.” Nafi Chinery, Capacity Building Programme Specialist, AWDF
Second Financial Management Training held in 2015 in Uganda.
The Capacity Building Unit of AWDF is organising its third Finance Management Training programme for finance officers and managers of grantee organisations. This skills enhancement training will be held from 16 – 18th August 2016 in Lagos, Nigeria.
This training forms part of AWDF’s mandate to provide technical skills to grantees in order to ensure sound and prudent financial management of resources for results in their organisations.
The three-day (3) training will bring together nineteen (19) finance managers and officers from twelve (12) grantee organisations from seven (7) states in Nigeria including Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Gombe states. The training will cover budgets and cash flow projections, grant management, internal controls and checks, compliance with statutory requirements, and financial reporting among others.
It is our hope that participants will gain insights and skills into developing sound financial systems that meet minimum international standards for any financial management including donor reporting. Below are some expectations expressed by some participants ahead of the Lagos training.
“My main expectation from the training is to gain additional best practice procedures to include in our Financial and Accounting Manual which is currently being developed. I expect to strengthen my knowledge on NGO regular financial recording and management.” Ms. Joy Ngwakwe, Executive Director at Centre for Advancement of Development Right (CEADER) in Lagos.
“Knowing the logic in allowable and unallowable expenditures and developing the ability to analyse financial reports as well as develop skills in prudent financial resource management” Lucy Auwalu, Executive Director, Women and Children of Hope Foundation, Lagos.
To learn financial management best practices that will promote HELIN in her dealing with donors and how to harmonise the management of finances from diverse donors.” Doris Brendan, Executive Director, Heal the Land Initiative Nigeria (HELIN), Uyo
Health and Safety Manual
Health and Safety Manual
This guide is for African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) grantees and other women’s rights organisations working in agri and food processing. Its goal is to provide important information on food health and safety practices that you can put into practice. When you do this, your business will get a good name. More people will want to be your customers. Your business will grow and you will earn income for your livelihoods.
We all use, process and sell food in our own different ways. But there are certain rules about food safety that apply to us all. We must make sure we manage our businesses in a safe way so that we don’t have injuries. And so our customers get healthy food.
This guide:
• explains how food gets contaminated
• tells you what signs to look out for
• shows how to prevent food you work with from making people sick
• offers tips and check lists to help you manage health and safety at work
• offers some activity ideas and ways to share this important information.
Find the entire guide here: Health & Safety Manual
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR AWDF FEMINIST LEADERS & GOVERNANCE COACHING PROJECT, 2016
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR AWDF FEMINIST LEADERS & GOVERNANCE COACHING PROJECT, 2016
Background
In 2014, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) launched a feminist coaching project on leadership for women leaders of its grantee organisations. In 2015, the project was expanded to include strengthening governance frameworks within participating organisations. The project is based on our knowledge of the persistent challenges of African women’s organisations with issues related to resource mobilisation, communications, governance, leadership transition, safety and wellbeing. Given these constraints and the external context women’s organisations work in, they tend to focus on narrow short-term advocacy or urgent service-delivery projects, with little capacity to expand alliances, envision innovative strategies and be forward thinking.
This coaching project seeks to develop the individual leadership skills and values of participating CEOs/EDs as well as those in second level management. It is also aimed at strengthening the institutional and governance structures of participating organisations and providing an enabling framework fortheirrelevance and sustainability. At AWDF, we believe that a well-grounded leader in feminist values, ideology and clarity of purpose can accelerate the process of social justice and development effectively. Therefore, investment in both individual leaders and governance frameworks of African women’s rights organisations is vital.
By September this year, the third batch of 10 AWDF grantee organisations and 20 women leaders will be completing the coaching project. So far, these grantees are reporting improvements in leadership and communication styles, effective staff management and active engagement of their board members. Leaders have improved their visibility and fundraising abilities through written articles and their media appearances.
Project Duration & Methodology
This is a 9-month coaching project on leadership and governance from December 2016– August 2017. The project is targeted at CEO/EDs/Programme Managers/Coordinators and those in second level management of AWDF grantee organisations within the age bracket of 18 – 45 years.
The coaching project will entail the following:
1. Attending a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) forum. This is a 3 day event for orientation, skills sharing, strategy development and networking for participating leaders, coaches and AWDF. This event will be held in Kenya from 15- 17 November 2016.
2. Engaging in one-on-one coaching via phone calls, email, Skype conversations and occasional inperson meetings with their personal coaches from December 2016 – August 2017
3. Governance strengthening activities for boards of participating organisations.
4. Writing of opinion pieces or articles by leaders about their work and development.
5. Participating in at least one AWDF skill building training/workshop where necessary.
Who Should Apply?
Interested organisations should fulfil the following criteria in order to be considered for this project:
✓ Be an AWDF grantee and should have received grants from AWDF in the last 3-5 years
✓ The organisation should have an existing board which will be available for the governance strengthening trainings.
✓ The organisation should have a minimum of 3 full-time staff
✓ The organisation should have access to reliable internet and be able to use Skype and email.
✓ The organisation should have functioning office space with basic office infrastructure.
✓ The organisation should work in any of these areas; Violence against Women (VAW), Health and Reproductive rights (HRR), Economic Empowerment and Livelihood (EEL) areas and with women especially young women.
✓ Two staff members from an organisation’s leadership. That is one CEO/ED/programme Manager/Coordinators and one staff from the next level in management.
✓ Applying leaders should be within the ages of 18 – 45 years.
✓ Leaders should be able to communicate in either English, French or Amharic.
✓ Leaders should be able to communicate via internet, Skype, telephone and email.
✓ Leaders who have demonstrated the potential to develop.
To be considered for the project, your organisation is required to send your application to the AWDF Capacity Building Unit at Nafi@africlub.net/awdf; Ayesha@africlub.net/awdf; cbsintern@africlub.net/awdf justifying why you and your organisation should be selected for the project. All applications MUST be received by 8th August 2016
Please include the following in your application:
❖ Names and positions of 2 staff from your organisation who will be participating in the project
❖ Why your organisation should be considered (highlighting on leadership & governance issues).
❖ Your last grant from AWDF, the year and for what project.
❖ Which level(s) your organisation typically engages in i.e community, national or regional
❖ Challenges you hope to overcome in the process
❖ How the project will enable you achieve your individual and organisational objectives.
❖ Include a written recommendation from your board endorsing you and your participation in the project
❖ Any other information to strengthen your application is welcome.
Participation in this project is by application only. As only a specific number of grantee organisations will be chosen to participate in the project, there are no promises of automatic qualification for applying organisations. This is a non-paying project and participants are required to commit only about 10% of their total work time to the process.
Please note that the individual leadership coaching project is reserved for ONLY women leaders. Deadline for Submission is 8 th August 2016. The full application should be sent to Nafi Chinery, Capacity Building Programme Specialist at Nafi@africlub.net/awdf and cc: Ayesha@africlub.net/awdf, cbsintern@africlub.net/awdf
Thank you.
Grantee Highlight: SAYWHAT Shares New Documentary on the SRHR Defenders Program in Zimbabwe
Grantee Highlight: SAYWHAT Shares New Documentary on the SRHR Defenders Program in Zimbabwe
As dialogues surrounding sexual and reproductive health take a more visible place on university campuses, young people around the world, particularly young women, have worked towards inciting meaningful discussions and solutions to the challenges they face. In the African context, this conversation manifests in the organisation of innovative programs such as the “Reproductive Health Rights Defenders Program in Zimbabwe”. The Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT), a Zimbabwean organisation supported by the African Women’s Development Fund, has worked tirelessly to create this program.
During May of this year, SAYWHAT debuted a short documentary film highlighting the achievements of Defenders program, how young women students are actively trained to participate in SRHR advocacy and address key challenges. Through a series of interviews, the viewer is introduced to the faces behind the great success of this youth driven organisation.
Tadiwanahse Bunikai, one of the members of SAYWHAT shares about the organisation: “It has groomed strong, confident, powerful women who are able to go beyond the issues of reproductive rights to discuss issues of national policy, politics, social and economic development, and entrepreneurship”.
As young women in Zimbabwe are faced with a number of sexual and reproductive health issues (which include but are not limited to child marriage, poverty, gender based violence and government accountability), SAYWHAT emphasises the capacity building needs of young women in order to better promote advocacy for institutional change within a number of tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe.
On this, SAYWHAT’s Programs Manager, Vimbai Mlambo states, “I have gained more confidence in myself and in my ability to relate with governance issues within my institution. I feel even more empowered to lead an organisation as a young woman. Mentorship has changed my perception about leadership. For me, leadership has become about discipline and self-leadership”.
SAYWHAT’s emphasis on leadership skills and knowledge building has not only increased the confidence of members, but has also produced agents of change. Some of the success stories achieved by the SRHR Defenders Program include projects such as the “Condomise Campaign”, a globally recognised initiative that promotes safe sex options to young women and men. The program has become quite popilar with women students, so much so that the Ministry of Health and Child Care in collaboration with the National AIDS council in Zimbabwe have accepted the proposal by SAYWHAT members to conduct the campaign at a national level.
Individual projects by SAYWHAT members have also developed more accessible and hygienic sanitary disposal methods for girls and women as well as marketing campaigns to increase the appeal for and effective use of the female condom. In this way, the Reproductive Health Rights Defenders Program ensures the social welfare of young women.
In addition to their work with young women, the Reproductive Health Rights Defenders Program challenges policies that miss the mark on SRHR and pushes for institutional changes that ensure respect, support and protection of young women. The Defenders Team has created persistent awareness about a number of sexual harassment cases on several Zimbabwean university campuses and are working towards the implementation of more expansive policies for women students. Partly due to this effort, one of the defenders has been invited to work as a women’s rights advisee to the presiding judge at the High Court of Zimbabwe.
Ultimately, SAYWHAT’s Reproductive Health Rights Defenders Team has a compelling focus on skills interventions and policy implementation on SRHR issues. SAYWHAT continues to empower young women into diverse, influential roles that, in turn, help to to create just futures for other girls and women around the country.
We are proud of the incredible work that our grantee partner, SAYWHAT, is able to accomplish each day in Zimbabwe.
Watch the full documentary on the Reproductive Health Rights Defenders Program below:
By: Mama Biamah
Grantee Highlight: Public Health Uganda tackles HIV/AIDS, on all fronts.
Grantee Highlight: Public Health Uganda tackles HIV/AIDS, on all fronts.
Today, a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS no longer means a death sentence. For many women, however, the situation can quickly turn into one. While many constraints to accessing affordable medication exist, there are other complex factors at hand. Even with the right medication, the stigma, discrimination and injustice surrounding the illness can easily erase promise and opportunity from the futures of many, flipping lives that were once vibrant into mere shadows of what they once were. Public Health Network Uganda (PHAU) is an organisation that helps to correct this imbalance.
Since 2011, PHAU has focused on tackling stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS and providing vital education to numerous communities in Uganda. In 2013, the prevalence of HIV for young men was 2.4 % and for young women, it was 4.2%. (UNAIDS, The Gap Report 2014) The spread of the illness affected women nearly twice as much as men within the same age range (15-24). This data only reinforced the international trend of girls and young women being particularly vulnerable to contracting HIV, and therefore, accelerating multi-layered risks within their livelihoods. Young women who do contract HIV are met with quite hostile and isolating social relations, complicated by the lack of education on how to prevent or manage the illness.
The most effective way of tackling this lack of information is by creating innovative programs and implementing sound policies that bridge the gap in young women’s education. This drive for comprehensive education is one of the many ways PHAU is helping lead the fight to end HIV/AIDS transmission, discrimination and stigma in Uganda. Their activities focus on providing a safe space for girls and young women to understand their condition and how to increase wellness in their lives and relationships with family, friends and within their communities. PHAU explores ways to create positive futures for the young women through hope, dignity and empowerment by also developing community initiatives targeting stigma and misinformation about HIV/AIDS.
AWDF is currently supporting PHAU with USD 15,000 to implement a compelling and unconventional outreach program to help tackle stigma within Uganda. The project was implemented in June 2015 and will be completed in November 2016.“Stamp Out Stigma” is a musical outreach campaign that reached several thousand people using flash mobs and street theatre in Kisenyi, a resource-strapped province in Kinshasa. The program’s popularity led to a sharp increase in attendance that provided an opportunity for 2,400 persons to receive HIV testing and/or counseling. Additionally, PHAU has trained and sensitised peer educators and community leaders on HIV stigma and discrimination as well as reproductive health and life skills development. The project’s reach continues to grow with PHAU reaching a total of 23,000 people.
One of PHAU’s current anti-stigma campaigns – “Tuli Wamu Nawe” – provides entrepreneurial training for HIV+ girls and young women to enable them to set up and manage small businesses. A participant, Nakisozi Mastulah – Kyabando Kisalonsalo, shares: “I have learned how to evaluated my business internally and externally using the SWOT Analysis”. The workshop also trained young women in financial systems and recordkeeping as an honest and responsible means to sustain their business practices. Such interventions also help the participants to sustain themselves and to focus on keeping a forward-thinking mindset. The training also helps the participants foster a sense of community that is integral to supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.
PHAU’s programs are widespread, impactful and inventive.The organisation’s response to the needs of positive girls and women is immense because PHAU recognises the complexity of the situation and how best to ensure accessibility, efficiency and effectiveness to those who need it the most. By using music, dance and theatre, PHAU entreats community members to confront those ostracised because of their illness as well as practices of stigma and discrimination against positive people. Through this work, it is clear that the Ugandan organisation is making holistic impact in the lives of girls and women and stimulating communities into open, active and inclusive ways of communication and participation with people living with HIV/AIDS.
For more check out their World Aids Day Flashmob below:
By: Maame Akua Kyerewaa Marfo
The Take Aways from Women Deliver: A brief Interview of Theo Sowa
The Take Aways from Women Deliver: A brief Interview of Theo Sowa
Last Month, AWDF CEO Theo Sowa spoke and moderated a series of panels at Women Deliver in Copenhagen, Denmark. Dignitaries such as H.R.H Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Danish Minister Kristian Jensen along with other notable international players all gathered to discuss development and what the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mean for women and girls today. She was interviewed by the Associate Editor of Devex and had some poignant things to say about the future of development and how Women and Girls should be central in discussions, policy development and implementation.
Check out the interview below:
What Refugees Give: New Liberian Women’s Organisation
What Refugees Give: New Liberian Women’s Organisation
From 1999 to 2003 the Liberian civil war persistently disrupted the lives of Liberian women, forcing many to seek refuge in neighbouring West African countries. Not willing to see their country disintegrate, Liberian women took action to catalyse an end to the war, organising within Liberia, but and also as refugee women in Ghana around the peace talks happening in Accra. Liberian women also organised to address their situation as refugees, and build leadership and resources to sustain their displaced communities.
A group of Liberian women refugees living in Accra, Ghana’s capital city, came together to form the New Liberian Women’s Organisation (NLWO) to help the women to develop new skills, improve their livelihoods and forge new bonds in their host country. The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) began to support NLWO in 2005 when the organisation was still based in Accra, and have accompanied the group with funding support totalling over USD 60,000 to date. The initial grants went towards strengthening the institutional capacity and leadership development of young refugee women. Further grants have resulted in the construction of a community center, livelihood and leadership workshops, and the provision of critical emergency supplies, with housands of lives changed for the better. .
Members of the New Liberian Women’s Organisation returned to Liberia in 2007 to continue their work. Over a decade later they remain active in their communities. With continued support from AWDF, NLWO has gone on to impact their communities in powerful ways. They have provided training sessions on gender equality and income generation for women who returned to a Liberia under new rules and had to learn how to survive and prosper once more. They have also created awareness on the spread of STDs and HIV. When the Ebola virus struck in 2014, NLWO women mobilised in the same way that they always had, to deepen education on the virus, in community spaces like schools and marketplaces. They also distributed safety and sanitary items and led an awareness campaign in the country’s rural areas, including the heavily affected Montserrado County. As a follow up to these activities, AWDF has awarded NLWO a grant of USD 15,000 to provide Ebola survivors with income generating opportunities and leadership and mentorship skills training. The project will also carry out educational activities on issues of women’s rights to economic security.
The New Liberian Women’s Organisation is one example of how women activists continually create and support initiatives that have tangible impact on their communities. It is important to recognise the meaningful contributions and valuable impact that women have made, historically, in Liberia and other conflict countries.
We know from experience that refugee women need both protection and respect for their rights as granted by international law. Unfortunately, international communities have been slow and inconsistent at fulfilling necessary human rights mandates to protect their citizens. We have learnt also that refugee women need resources to regain autonomy and to organise around response, recovery and rebuilding their lives, communities and societies. Not just shelter, food and health interventions, but financial support and other resources are necessary to help rebuild communities and lead emergency care responses to long term recovery, development and sustainability. Let’s make sure that the work of refugee women is properly recognised, facilitated, and amplified.