Category: News

In 2013, the Centre for Rights, Education and Awareness (CREAW) in Kenya was facing closure. Nearly 5,000 cases affecting women that CREAW was overseeing were still within the legal system but the organisation — like many in the country — was in the midst of a funding crisis. CREAW is a national, women’s human rights nongovernmental organisation based in Nairobi, whose vision is “a transformed and just society”. Its mission is to champion, expand and make real women’s human rights with programmes grounded in core values of integrity, professionalism, passion, innovation, and synergy. It is headed by leading woman’s activist, Wangechi Wachira. CREAW’s relationship with the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) started in 2007 when another leading women’s organisation and grantee partner, FEMNET, suggested the organisation apply for funding for their women’s programmes.

“By the time we started the relationship around 2007, Kenya was going into a general election. AWDF funded a programme that worked to support women to be able to participate in decision-making processes,” recalled Wachira. “Before the election, things were fine but after the elections, things went south. We were able to play a role in peace building during that process. We went back to AWDF and said that women had come out in big numbers to vote but in the aftermath, women had been abused and violated. We wanted to go back to the communities and document the stories of the women we had worked with,” she explained.

“The country has made a lot of strides since 2007. In 2010, Kenya passed a Constitution and women were able to push for their issues at a constitutional level. Since then a lot of laws have been passed that deal with the issues of women. What remains, however, is to make sure that they are finalised, implemented and that the relevant government institutions take responsibility for them to be enacted,” said Wachira.

To read the full profile click HERE

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) extends condolences to the people of Sierra Leone for the devastating landslide in Freetown on 14 August 2017. This has affected thousands of people, including several grantee partners.

Experiences from across Africa and from different types of natural or human made disasters has shown us that women’s community responses and leadership are central to effective responses to disasters. The courageous actions of multiple Sierra Leonean women’s organisations during the recent Ebola crisis is just one example of this. The strength and resilience displayed by the people of Sierra Leone in the wake of disasters has been amazing and will be a key factor in the current recovery process.

As we hear the updates of this humanitarian crisis, we are concerned in particular about the condition of women and of girls who are now in precarious housing and economic situations. In that light, we affirm the need for a humanitarian response that takes into account the specific needs of women and of girls.

Our hearts and our thoughts are with the people of Sierra Leone and with women’s groups responding in this period of recovery and rebuilding.

To view the rest of the photo story click HERE: Akili Dada Photostory

Immediate supervisor: Deputy Director

Position summary: To develop and manage Prospera’s capacity building program (on learning, monitoring and evaluation; finance and administration; local
fundraising; advocacy, among others) as well as to be the liaison between member funds from Africa and the network.

Principal tasks and responsibilities:
• Work collaboratively with other team members to develop and define Prospera’s program strategies.
• Lead the development of grant proposals for funding related to the capacity building program or of work with funds in the African region.
• Manage and supervise capacity building program activities, designing work plans and following up on the implementation of the program´s strategy and budget, on a global level.
• Identify, build and manage relationships and networks with member funds, stakeholders and civil society actors and government bodies in Africa, in
coordination with the Director of Programs.
• Facilitate information sharing and coordination among all member funds, including those related to grant making and any other program processes
and activities.
• Provide technical assistance and coaching to member funds, on an ad hoc basis.
• Develop criteria, indicators and benchmarks to monitor and evaluate progress in meeting the capacity building program´s goals and advancing Prospera´s strategy.
• Contribute to producing a range of documents related to the program as well as in the region.
• Continually scan the fields related to women´s human rights, philanthropy,organizational development and capacity building, follow key developments and debates, keep abreast of the academic and popular literature, share key findings and lessons among colleagues in the field.
• Represent Prospera in public meetings and conferences.
• Represent Prospera in Africa and develop a relationship to support the Women’s Funds based in the African region.
• Other related tasks as assigned.

Internal relationships: The Program Officer will be the point person for all work on the capacity building program, as well as the liaison between the network and the funds from Africa, and will therefore interact with all members of the team on issues relating to the program and the region.

External relationships: The Program Officer will have ongoing direct interactions with staff and women´s funds from Africa. The Program Officer will also interact with all consultants and external partners contributing to the capacity building program.

QUALIFICATIONS
Educational level: Masters degree in the social sciences or humanities is preferred.
Languages: English required, French and/or Portuguese strongly preferred
Previous experience: 5-7 Years program management experience; management of learning, Monitoring and Evaluation methodologies; grant writing experience; developing programs for capacity building of women’s or civil society organizations; management of relations with donors; writing narrative reports.

At least seven years of professional experience leading or collaborating on civil society strategies related to women´s human rights and/or philanthropy for women´s rightsin Africa.

Specific knowledge, skills and abilities:
• Previous knowledge regarding gender issues and/or global philanthropy preferred.
• Understanding of the needs of women´s rights organizations and funds, particularly in the key areas related to organizational strengthening and capacity building.
• Demonstrable success in planning and implementing programs related to organizational development or capacity building or in designing grantmaking programs.
• Very good verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal, communication and team-working skills.
• Conscientious and detail oriented.
• Ability to work independently, while still part of a team, and adapt to quick changing circumstances.
• Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection and a sense of humor.

Travel:
40% travel within Africa and to other international destinations required

To Apply, please send a Cover Letter and updated Resume to Alexandra Garita at
agarita@prospera-inwf.org

To download Application in it’s entirety please click HERE

To read the full story: Click Here

Go-getter. These are some of the words that can be usedto describe Claris. She is 19 years old and part of Paza, Akili Dada’s gap year programme in Kenya. Claris joined Akili Dada in her first year of high school, at Precious Blood-Riruta. Coming from MukuruKwa Reuben, a resource-strapped community
in Nairobi, she knew her chances of making it through high school were slim. She, therefore, sought
scholarships for higher learning from multiple organisations through the principal’s office. In addition to receiving a scholarship, she has been a project participant of the leadership academies supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). The academies are spaces for reflection where Akili Dada scholars are equipped with life skills. This includes helping the girls understand themselves and their capacities comprehensively so that they identify how to best negotiate life in society. This in turn enables the project participants to excel in whatever they aspire to be and do, and to be the change leaders our world needs. At the leadership academies, young women also brainstorm new ways to
exercise leadership to transform their communities. In that regard, Akili Dada introduced Claris to the service learning concept. In turn, she decided to start a library in her community.

To read the rest of her story click below:

Akili Dada Profile: Claris Paza

Nelly*is a survivor of sexual violence who has persistently resolved to overcome stigma, rejection, fear and suicidal thoughts that threatened to immobilise her after she was raped in 2014. GVRC Project Participant Transcending Sexual Violence: Providing Support for Survivors through the Nairobi Women’s Hospital Gender Violence Recovery Centre .It has not been an easy journey. With the assistance of counselling staff and members of a sexual violence support group at the Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC) in Nairobi, she has made tremendous strides in her recovery. Currently, Nelly is positively channeling her energy to transform the lives of survivors of sexual violence by supporting children who have undergone abuse in the school where she works.

To read the entirety of Nelly’s Story click HERE : GVRC: Nelly’s Story

The announcement of Canada’s new $241.5 Million fund for family programs is a direct push against the streak of conservative aid policy implementation in North America. Canada’s fund is a step in the a progressive direction. Theo Sowa and Musimbi Kanyoro discuss the implications of the fund and the opprotunities it presents for Women’s Rights work on the continent. To read the full article click HERE

Shaping the Future was developed out of research and exploration around how AWDF and the African women’s rights organisations and activists that we resource can contribute to building a future for Africa that reflects the equality and justice that lie at the heart of our continent’s progress. We invested in a process to gather data on future trends for African women, compiled in the report Futures Africa: Trends for Women by 2030. We then used this empirical base to craft an imaginative process of generating scenarios- four stories of what the future could look like for African women and women’s rights if different political power dynamics and social, economic, technological and environmental trends play out.

This is the first foresight initiative focusing indepth on gender dynamics, women’s rights, and questions around the roles African women play in actively creating just futures for Africa. By designing a strategic framework based on this forward-thinking analysis, AWDF seeks to create a plan that allows for greater innovation and ways to maximise the impact of our work and that of the brave African women’s organisations and movements that we support. Our commitment is to work together to build the best possible futures for the African continent.

AWDF 4th Strategic Plan