Author: African Women's Development Fund

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]Media release
For immediate release
30 October 2012

Marwa El Daly Receives Inaugural African Philanthropy Award

The inaugural African Philanthropy Award was presented at a celebration in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 30 October 2012. The prestigious non-monetary award was launched by the African Grantmakers Network to recognise African philanthropic initiatives that are innovative in leveraging social and financial capital, that are sustainable, and that signify renewed African agency in solving Africa’s problems.

The independent panel of judges selected Ms Marwa El Daly, the founder and chairperson of Maadi Community Foundation in Egypt, to be the inaugural recipient of the African Philanthropy Award.

The judging panel was made up of the chief executive officer of the Africa Media Initiative and co-founder of allafrica.com, Amadou Mahtar Ba; the editor in chief of South Africa’s City Press newspaper, Ferial Haffajee; and the executive director of the Dar Es Salaam based Foundation for Civil Society, John Ulanga.

The judges applauded Ms El Daly’s efforts to mobilise communities and channel traditional cultural practices of charity into participative community development. The Maadi Community Foundation is the first of its kind in Egypt, and it is having a significant impact on philanthropic and development practice across the region.

In a systemic and structured way, Ms El Daly is changing the strong culture of local giving from one that addresses immediate crises to one that is more transformational and long term. And she is getting rapidly growing support from groups from near and far.

Ms El Daly’s community based approach to development is very much in line with the African Grantmakers Network’s vision of promoting many different forms of African philanthropy by rich and poor people alike. Her approach reflects the southern African concept of ubuntu in community based philanthropic practice in North Africa, adding a new dimension to traditional models of charity and social investment.

Ms El Daly uses the Maadi Community Foundation’s art program to bridge community divides, bringing youth from wealthy and poor communities together. The Foundation also creates spaces for youth to mobilise other youth in philanthropic activity.

In post-revolution Egypt, her organisation is playing an important role in promoting social accountability.

The African Grantmakers’ Network was launched in Accra, Ghana, in July 2009. It isa platform for the promotion of an African voice and agenda for philanthropy. Its vision is for a transformed, relevant, vibrant and sustainable practice of African philanthropy. The AGN secretariat is currently hosted by TrustAfrica in Dakar, Senegal.

The inaugural African Philanthropy Award was presented during the annual Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards that recognise philanthropy in South Africa. The awards celebration was held during the 2012 assembly of the African Grantmakers Network, which is being hosted in Johannesburg by the Southern Africa Trust.

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For more information, please contact:
Criselda Kananda
Tel: +27 11 318 1012
Mobile: +27 78 458 9969
Email: ckananda@southernafricatrust.org

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Communiqué de presse
Pour diffusion immédiate
30 Octobre 2012

Marwa El Daly reçoit le premier prix africain de la philanthropie

Le premier Prix de philanthropie africaine a été présenté lors d’une célébration à Johannesburg le mardi 30 Octobre 2012. Le prix non monétaire et prestigieux a été lancé par le Réseau des subventionneurs africains pour reconnaître les initiatives philanthropiques africaines qui sont novatrices en misant sur un capital social et financier, qui sont durables , et qui signifient une agence africaine renouvelée dans la résolution des problèmes de l’Afrique.

Le jury indépendant a choisi Mme Marwa El Daly, la fondatrice et présidente de la Maadi Community Foundation en Egypte, pour être le premier récipiendaire du Prix de philanthropie africaine.

Le jury était composé du directeur général de l’Africa Media Initiative et co-fondateur de allafrica.com, Amadou Mahtar Ba; le rédacteur en chef deSouth Africa’s City Press newspaper, Ferial Haffajee; et le directeur exécutif de la Fondation sur la base de Dar Es Salaam pour la société civile, John Ulanga.

Les juges ont applaudi les efforts de Mme El Daly pour mobiliser les communautés et canaliser les pratiques culturelles traditionnelles de charité en développement une communauté participative. La Fondation communautaire Maadi est la première de son genre en Egypte, et a un impact significatif sur la pratique philanthropique et le développement dans la région.

D’une manière systémique et structurée, Mme El Daly est en train de changer la forte culture de dons locaux d’un qui traite des crises immédiates pour celui qui est le terme plus transformationnel et long. Et elle devient rapidement un soutien croissant des groupes de près et de loin.

La communauté de l’approche basée de Mme El Daly au développement est très en lien avec la vision du Réseau africain des subventionneurs de promouvoir différentes formes de la philanthropie africaine par des gens riches et pauvres. Son approche reflète le concept de l’Afrique australe d’ubuntu en communauté pratique philanthropique basée en Afrique du Nord, ajoutant une nouvelle dimension aux modèles traditionnels de la charité et de l’investissement social.

Mme El Daly utilise le programme d’art de la Fondation communautaire Maadi à combler les fossés de la communauté, ce qui porte les jeunes des communautés riches et pauvres ensemble. La Fondation crée aussi des espaces pour les jeunes à mobiliser d’autres jeunes dans des activités philanthropiques.

Dans l’après-révolution en Egypte, son organisation joue un rôle important dans la promotion de la responsabilité sociale.

Le Réseau de«subventionneurs africains” a été lancée à Accra, au Ghana, en Juillet 2009. La plateforme ISA pour la promotion d’une voix africaine et l’ordre du jour de la philanthropie. Sa vision est celle d’un transformé, pratique pertinente, dynamique et durable de la philanthropie africaine. Le secrétariat AGN est actuellement hébergé par TrustAfrica à Dakar, au Sénégal.

Le premier Prix de philanthropie africaine a été présenté au cours des Philanthropy Awards Inyathelo qui reconnaissent la philanthropie en Afrique du Sud. Le prix célébration a eu lieu lors de l’assemblée 2012 du Réseau africain des subventionneurs, qui est accueilli à Johannesburg par le Southern Africa Trust.

Pour plus d’informations veuillez contacter:
Criselda Kananda
Tel: +27 11 318 1012
Mobile: +27 78 458 9969
Email: ckananda@southernafricatrust.org[/tp]

Launch of ‘Women Leading Africa: Conversations with Inspirational African Women’ by the African Women’s Development Fund as part of the Adventurers in the Diaspora (AiD) Forum

Date: Thursday, 25th October 2012

Venue: Branche Lounge, Golden Tulip

Time: 7.30pm

This event will include a panel discussion on ‘African Women and Leadership’ moderated by H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi with panelists Ama Ata Aidoo, internationally acclaimed writer; Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Theologian; and Mary Wandia, Regional Programme Officer for the Open Society for Eastern Africa

Please find flyer attached Flyer

 

On June 27, 2012, the Nana Yaa Memorial Trust for Good Quality Reproductive Health Services held a day’s round table conference to advocate for the adoption of the partograph with latent phase in all maternal health care provision institutions in Ghana. This was a follow –up to a previously held one day seminar on 10th November 2011 on why it is necessary to adopt the use of a partograph with latent in all health facilities where maternal health care is provided.
The partograph is a managerial tool for the prevention of prolonged labour and its complications. It is a graphical recording that shows at a glance:
• the progress of labour
• the salient conditions of the mother and
• the foetal condition

It is designed to detect any deviations from normal during labour.

Specifically it does the following:
• recognises cephalo-pelvic disproportion long before labour becomes obstructed
• indicates when intervention in labour is appropriate
• assists in early decision to transfer, augment or terminate labour.

The original partograph has two phases; the latent and active. The latent phase represents the onset of labour until 3cm of cervical dilatation within a period of 8 hours. The active phase represents the progress of labour from 3cm of cervical dilatation to full dilation of the cervix; i.e. 10cm, averagely 1cm per hour.

It is very essential to monitor these two phases to avoid prolonged labour and other complications such as foetal distress, cephalo-pelvic disproportion, obstructed labour, ruptured uterus, obstetric fistulae, post partum haemorrhage and ultimately maternal and/or neonatal death.
In the absence of the latent phase of labour monitoring, clients with the risk of cervical dystosia, precipitate labour and delivery as well as any of the above mentioned complications will be missed, thereby, increasing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Indeed the latent phase also helps in timely referral of clients at risk of prolonged labour from a Level A or B to a well resourced health facility e.g. regional or tertiary hospitals for further positive management.

These observed conditions were also confirmed by a group of doctors who undertook a study at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital using the partograph without the latent phase. “The client in latent phase of labour is no more entertained on the new partograph. But the latent phase of labour requires equally intensive monitoring for early detection and intervention.”

This is because in a study conducted by O’Driscroll, the father of the 12 hour active labour concept, ten percent of the women who were sent home as being in false labour or too early in labour returned to the hospital within 24 hours to deliver their babies. Also if this phase is delayed for longer than 8 hours in the presence of at least 2 contractions in ten minutes, the labour is more likely to be prolonged with a poor state of baby outcome according to prominent researchers. Therefore, if the woman is in a peripheral unit that is in the District she should be transferred to hospital. If she is in hospital she needs critical assessment and decision about subsequent management by an Obstetrician.

Therefore, once a woman calls in any health facility for delivery, she should be detained and monitored until she has her baby/babies.

SHE SHOULD NEVER BE ASKED TO GO HOME AND COME BACK BECAUSE:
• SHE MIGHT NOT COME BACK AGAIN IN GOOD STATE.
• SHE MIGHT DECIDE TO GO TO A TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANT (TBA) or A SPIRITUAL BIRTH ATTENDANT (SBA)
• COME BACK WITH A RUPTURED UTERUS AND NEONATAL DEATH.

Therefore, we, the under-mentioned members of this round table conference (names and signatories attached) strongly advocate and state as follows:
• The partograph with latent phase must be adopted for used in all health facilities in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5.
• The latent phase on the partograph should be re – inserted and used correctly by all skilled attendants (obstetricians, doctors, midwives, nurse – midwives) in the management of labour.
• Maternal health facilities should be expanded to accommodate every woman who presents herself in labour for confirmation and management within the facility.
• Obstetric theatres should be increased to prevent clients requiring emergency obstetric care from queuing for theatre management to avoid ruptured uterus and neonatal deaths.
• Both medical and midwifery students should be made to monitor clients using the partograph with latent phase during their period of training before claiming the clients as their case studies.
• Midwifery classes should not be more than forty students to a class to avoid large class numbers which will lead to inadequate experience in monitoring and deliveries babies before the end of their training.
• Every student should be mandated to watch at least ten deliveries and deliver at least ten clients before being acclaimed proficient.
• It should be mandatory for all maternal health care providers (doctors, midwifery tutors, midwives and other skilled attendants) to update their knowledge and skills and authenticated by authorized supervisors every three years.
We pray that these recommendations which have been carefully put together by the above named persons in midwifery practice would be accepted and implemented in order that Ghana would achieve the MDGs 4 & 5 by the year 2015.

Signed by:

1. Dr. J.B. Wilson Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana Medical School Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

2. Dr. Edmund K. Biga Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Dept. of Obs & Gynae, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

3. Mrs. Victoria Lamina Assistant Registrar, NMC for Ghana

4. Col. Augusta Wellington Officer In-Charge, 37 Military Hospital
Nurses and Midwifery Training School

5. Mrs. Netta F. Ackon Midwifery Tutor,
Nurses & Midwifery Training School, Korle Bu

6. Mrs. Gladys Kankam Consultant – Midwife, MOH

7. Nana Kusi – Yeboah Consultant – Midwife, MOH

8. Mrs. Felicia D. Darkwah Executive Secretary, Nana Yaa Memorial Trust
For Good Quality Reproductive Health Services

9. Lt Col Gladys Okwaning (Rtd) Chief Executive Officer, Nana Yaa Memorial Trust
For Good Quality Reproductive Health Services

Watch this video interview with Abigail Burgesson, AWDF’s Special Programmes Manager to learn more about the work that we do

 

The Power of ‘we’ is about teamwork. The power of ‘we’ is about unity of purpose. Unity, undoubtedly, translates into concrete strength, huge achievements, steady and sustained progress amongst other benefits.

 

According to a recent publication in the American Political Science Review,” a new study on violence against women conducted over four decades and in 70 countries reveals the mobilization of feminist movements is more important for change than the wealth of nations, left-wing political parties, or the number of women politicians”. New York, NY (PRWEB) September 28, 2012

 

This confirms the benefits of the power of ‘we’ exhibited by the feminist movement.

 

Its important that at this and every stage in our movement building work we evaluate our activities to date and re-strategies around them: This is my personal analysis of our current strength, weakness, opportunities and the threats we face.

 

Our strength is our unity of purpose in creating a better world for all. A weakness is a movement that is still fragmented and under resourced. Yet there are huge opportunities out there. There remains a critical mass of women who could join the movement to strengthen the work that we do. In other words there is more room for fresh ‘recruits’ across board. Our threats remain uninformed people who misconstrue the campaign for equality.

 

If we do the above, the movement will be a stronger force to reckon with. Consequently, the spirit and the power of ‘we’ will yield more dividends.

By: Grace Amenyogbeli

Administrative Manager, AWDF

 

Today is the first ‘International Day of the Girl‘ At AWDF we believe in “Investing in young women’s leadership, and promoting an inter-generational transfer of skills and knowledge“.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday the Ghana branch of ‘Women in Law and Development in Africa’ held ‘The 2^nd Women’s Dialogue with Political Parties’. I listened to the programme at 10.30am via radio en route to interview ‘Virtuous Women and Children International’, an AWDF grantee. I was disappointed I wasn’t there in person. A typo in the event advertised via a popular Ghanaian daily had stated the time for the dialogue as 2.00pm. I felt grateful that the organisers WILDAF had partnered with Joy Fm who aired the programme live on radio.

The women’s dialogue was aimed at the presidential candidates (or their vices) of the political parties namely the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), People’s National Convention (PNC) and Progressive Peoples Party (PPP). The NDC and the NPP, the two dominant parties in Ghana, were not represented by their flag bearers or vices. I found this extremely disappointing and indicative of a lack of commitment to dialoguing with women. WILDAF had gone to every effort to accommodate the schedules of all the political parties and for the flag bearers (or their vices) of the two main parties not to show up speaks volumes and what I hear is “We are not truly committed to a rigorous political debate with women. We can talk the language of gender but beyond rhetoric there is no action”.

The aim of the dialogue was to provide “… a platform for political parties contesting the 2012 elections to present their vision and intended policies to women who form 51.4% of the population”. Dr Abu Sakara of the CPP, Mr Hassan Ayariga of the PNC and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the PPP were quizzed in an informal panel discussion by Matilda Asante with a broad range of questions focusing on the lack of a woman presidential candidate, and each party’s policies to increase women’s representation in the party political system. As a listener none of the politicians impressed me. There were a lot of the typical sentiments about women’s important roles as mothers and the support that each politician said they got from their wives. “Typical” I thought. “Ghanaian politicans only value women as wives and mothers”. The only politician on the platform who seemed to have thought seriously about gender was Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom. He is also the only presidential candidate whose vice is a woman, Ms. Eva Naa Merley Lokko. Nduom also spoke about the affirmative action policy within his party to ensure that at least 20% of the executives are women. I couldn’t help but think, “It’s a shame that Nduom stands little to no chance of being the next President of Ghana”.

In spite of the absence of the NPP and NDC I felt that ‘The 2^nd Women’s Dialogue with Political Parties’ had been extremely useful. The dialogue places issues of concern to women as central. The dialogue is an opportunity for women to hold our politicians responsible for the commitments they make to women when they seek our votes. The dialogue also gives us an opportunity to critically assess our politicians – can their rhetoric stand up to public scrutiny, can they really unpack what they mean when they claim to take gender issues seriously? Do they turn up when representatives of women’s rights organizations invite them to dialogue with women?

In a conversation with Bernice Sam, the National Programme Coordinator for WILDAF I asked her to share her thoughts on the dialogue and she stated:

“The Women’s Dialogue with Political Parties went very well. It provided an opportunity for the flagbearers of the political parties to share with women their visions for advancing women’s rights in Ghana. It equally provided an opportunity for women to assess the commitments of these parties to women’s concerns. Further, women will be able to hold the party that wins the elections to account for the statements made at the Dialogue.”

Holding parties responsible for their campaign promises is important. I commend WILDAF for holding this Dialogue, and all the media houses that supported with live transmissions. I hope that the 3^rd Women’s Dialogue with Political Parties will be attended by ALL political parties.

By Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah

Communications Officer, AWDF

Please click AAI Business Roundtable Media Advisory (final) to read

Please click AAI awards gala press release (final) to read press release

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The BRICS axis of trade and investment offers great opportunity for Africa’s continued economic growth. But is the BRICS effect a game-changer in social investment? What’s new in BRICS models of philanthropy and social investment? Where does Africa fit in the priorities of BRICS social investors? And how can philanthropy from emerging economies help to tackle Africa’s social justice challenges in a fresh way? The 2012 assembly of the African Grantmakers Network will ask social investment experts from BRICS countries about the BRICS effect and explore what Africa can gain from these new developments. Click here to register now!

The African Grantmakers Network is a continent-wide platform to grow an African voice and agenda for philanthropy.

Main conference days: 30 October to 1 November 2012.
Satellite meetings: 29 October and 2 November 2012.

For more information contact Shekeshe Mokgosi at the Southern Africa Trust smokgosi[at]southernafricatrust.org.