Category: News

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Alliance Française Accra, and Brand Woman Africa are pleased to invite the general public to a series of events in commemoration of the 2014 International Women’s Day. These events will take place in Ghana on Friday 7th March at Alliance Française Accra, Liberation Link (behind Opeibea House). Details are as follows:

6pm – ‘Paroles de Femmes’ Exhibition Launch

Featuring paintings, photography, installations and illustrations by visual artists Kis Keya, Sena Ahadji and Zohra Opoku.

* This event is FREE

 

 

7pm – Meet the Writers

Join Kinna Likimani as she facilitates thought provoking conversations and book readings with writers Alba Simprim, Boakyewaa Glover and Yewande Omotoso.

* This event is FREE

 

 

 

 

 

8pm – The Afro Soul Concert

French Haitian singer songwriter Cae opens up this concert by showcasing a tribute to iconic musician and activist Nina Simone. Featuring several Ghanaian women artists and vocalists, this ephemeral vocal tapestry is entitled ‘Women of Soul’. It is the first opus of a workshop Cae is conducting during her ongoing artistic residency at Alliance, dedicated to celebrating women of the Diaspora’s artistic expression.

 

 

 

Nigerian musician Diana Bada will get the crowd on its feet with her unique mash up of ‘Afro Soul’ – a blend of Hip Hop, Jazz and Reggae music. Diane was part of the 2008 edition of MTVBase/Zain Advance Warning that featured artistes including M.I, Kel, Terry G, Durella, Waje and Terry Tha Rapman. She was a member of the Gimme Shot Crew touring in Europe as well as the lead vocalist for the Tripanation Band.

 

 

* Concert: 10ghc, 5ghc for AF students and members, free for children below the age of 12

 

Venue:

At Alliance Française Accra, Liberation Link (behind Opeibea House)

The Capacity Building Unit of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has developed a series of technical support programmes to respond to the organisational development needs of AWDF’s grantees and those of women’s rights organisations in Africa.

The first in the series of these technical support programmes is ‘Financial Management Training for Finance Manager and Officers’ which will be held in Nairobi from 10 – 12 February 2014. This training will be held in collaboration with Orwa & Co an accounting firm in Nairobi whose team are providing pro-bono financial support services to selected AWDF’s grantees in Kenya. From 2013, AWDF in collaboration with Orwa & Co designed a project which seeks to enhance the financial management capacity of grantee organizations, and to review existing internal control systems and processes. The project which is on-going will also look at developing and improving processes that will allow for strengthened overall financial management systems and structures of AWDF’s grantee partners.

The 3 days training will bring together 17 finance managers and officers from 17 grantee organisations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The training will look at issues of budgets and cash flow projections, financial management in context, grant management, internal controls and internal checks, compliance to statutory requirements, and financial reporting among others.

It is expected that this training will be beneficial to participants and provide skills and insights aimed at strengthening grantees’ institutional capacity to manage donor funds and develop a sound financial management systems for their organisations.

When asked why they wanted to participate in this training programme our grantees said:

“The principle objective for participating in the upcoming workshop is to gain additional practical administrative and finance management knowledge and skills to enhance smooth execution of the above job purpose”. Ritah Atwongyeire, Better HAG, Uganda.

“To build my financial skills so that I can be able to operate effective financial management systems and manage programmes more efficiently and effectively… Learn about compliance and statutory requirements” Ms. Eunice Ndung’u, Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program (OPDP), Kenya.

“To refresh on the concepts and key financial issues, to update myself with the new statutory regulations in different areas such as payroll administration, withholding taxes etc” Evelyn Dzame,

Finance & administration Manager, Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) Kenya

“To gain knowledge in financial management, with aim to consolidate NACOA’s compliance with Donor’s financial requirements”. Juliet Muhumuza, Nacoa Uganda

“… we need to get financial management skills and I have no direct experience on accounting and have direct experience on budget preparation and control”. Elenatane Getachew, SOS ADDIS Tefetron Bemalimat Bkletn Masweged Mahiber.

 

A selection of participants at the workshop. In the foreground and from left to right are: Faith Kwebaze, National Community of Women Living with HIV&AIDS in Uganda; Juliet Muhumuza

National Coalition of Women with AIDS in Uganda; and Eunice Wanjiku Ndung’u, Ogiek Peoples Development Program.

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is administering a call to consultants with expertise in building comprehensive web-based databases. This project entails the development of an integrated Information Management System for multiple departments within AWDF. If interested, submit both technical and financial proposals to the AWDF.

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant making Foundation that awards grants to Women’s rights organisation on the African continent. AWDF seeks to make information management a tool for organisational development and therefore is looking for a functional database that meets its needs. The Terms of Reference for the Consultant is attached.

All proposals should be sent to

The Officer in Charge

African Women’s Development Fund

P. O. Box PMB CT 89 Cantonments, Accra-Ghana

Tel: 0302 52 12 57

Email: awdf@africlub.net/awdf; sionne@africlub.net/awdf ; zeytuna@africlub.net/awdf

All Proposals should be sent in by February 28th 2014

Please click here for terms of reference

The 3rd assembly of the African Grantmakers Network (AGN) will take place in Accra, Ghana from the 17th-19th November, 2014. This gathering will be hosted by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). The theme for this year’s AGN is ‘Philanthropy in Africa – People, Policies and Practice’.

A two day arts and culture festival, ‘AfriFEST’ will be held on the 15th and 16th of November in the lead up to the conference. AfriFEST will showcase how arts activism animates philanthropic practices across Africa. What are the diverse contributions African artists have made to the field of philanthropy? How does art and culture stimulate social transformation among our communities? These queries will be illustrated through a number of activities including film, music, a visual exhibition, fashion, theatre, discussions and more.

For more details of the AGN please click here

In May 2013, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) held a strategic meeting with grantee partners, researchers and activists on African women’s economic empowerment and livelihoods. One of the immediate outcomes of this convening was a statement to the Africa regional meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Watch the video below for highlights of the meeting which included discussions on food sovereignty, seed security and land rights. Women featured in the video delivering presentations include Liz Hosken, Gaia Foundation; Nancy Kachingwe, independent consultant; Herschelle Milford, Surplus People Project; Happy Gloria Akhayalu, Busia Community Based Services and Hope Chigudu Chigudu, an independent consultant.

Earlier on this year the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) welcomed Golden Baobab into our network of grantee partners. The organisation has a powerful mission to:

“…fuel the global imagination through African children’s literature by inspiring the creation, ensuring the production and facilitating the distribution of enthralling, high quality, culturally relevant literary content by African writers and illustrators for African children“.

In line with AWDF’s goal of amplifying the voices of African women, and utilising the power of the Arts for gender equity and social transformation, Golden Baobab has received a grant of US$20,000 towards the production of an anthology of children’s stories authored by African women.

Deborah Ahenkorah, the founder of Golden Baobab in describing her motivation for the work she does has stated:

“Once upon a time, I was a little girl who loved to read. Now I am a social entrepreneur trying to create a world of wonder for African children who, for far too long, have failed to see themselves in the books they read.”

Golden Baobab is already making a difference in the production of childrens literature. One of their innovations is the Gee Bee bag packed with a selection of books. These are the kinds of books that African children will recognise themselves in. These books make ideal gifts not only during the festive season but all throughout the year. At AWDF we believe in gifts that make a difference so if you are looking for that perfect present for a child we recommend getting a Gee Bee bag.

See flyer below for details

Gee Bee Bag, the perfect gift for a child from Golden Baobab, an AWDF grantee partner
Deborah Ahenkorah

 

The Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development in South Africa has been a grantee partner of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) since 2010, and to date has received US$15,000 in grants. AWDF has supported Nisaa to air ‘Change the Tune’, which comprises of selected pre-packaged radio programmes addressing issues around gender and gender based violence via selected community radio stations within the Southern African Development Community. The goal of ‘Change the Tune’ is to inform and engage listeners on issues of violence against women through active and critical dialogue. Nisaa has been successful in this endeavour. Feedback from listeners included the following:

“Thank you for the motivations you are giving to women on Inanda FM. I was also once married and in abusive relationship and can therefore relate to most of the things you are referring to. I have been separated from the man for 5 years, he does not support the kids nor see them, he refuses to sign divorce papers although, I have pleaded him too, for couple of times. When i go to the local magistrate, I get told I need to know where they can get hold of him as he is my husband. Sometimes the staff at the Magistrate, rub it on, now I understand why most women end up in jail and I still consider myself that I did not end up in jail for killing my perpetrator. It is so sore, only a person who has been there will understand it. I am still suffering, as I am still legally married to him.”

In November 2013, Nisaa published ‘Rising Up Moving On – Women Writing Our Lives’ with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and OXFAM Deutschland. This book is a testimony to the incredible work that Nisaa does in supporting women survivors of violence, and a credit to the women who have indeed risen, and moved on from abusive relationships. This book is also equally inspiring because the women who so bravely shared and wrote their stories are women who were not previously writers, yet through Nisaa’s supportive writing retreats have now been able to add to the collection of knowledge documenting African women’s stories. Sima Diar, Advocacy and Research Manager for Nisaa in describing the book stated:

“The book highlights the journeys of many women (of different races and different backgrounds) as they moved out of their abusive relationships. The book looks to inspire and motivate people to talk about violence against women, to encourage women currently in abusive relationship to seek help and to provide hope by emphasising that there is a way out“.

Download the book for free here.

“Let’s talk again about possible futures. What would the world look like if more grandmothers were given opportunities and support to help them to take on leadership roles? With 100,000 more women like Mariam sitting on local land councils, would property grabbing come to an end? With the counselling, support and encouragement of 100,000 more women like Zodwa, how much more quickly might we overcome stigma and fear, and get more people into treatment? Would the advocacy of 100,000 more women like Magret bring wife inheritance to an end? We’d surely be a lot closer to reaching those goals.” Theo Sowa, African Grandmothers Tribunal: Seeking justice at the frontlines of the AIDS conference

Read the full report here and check out the special edition of Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grassroots newsletter dedicated to the trial with features, highlights and reflections on the Grandmothers Tribunal.

 

 

 

The 16 Days against Gender-Based Violence event launched around the world on Monday. The campaign takes place annually between November 25^th [International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women also commemorating the lives of the Mirabal sisters] and December 10^th [International Human Rights Day and the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights]. The 16 Days campaign is also an organizing and mobilizing strategy calling for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence by persons and groups throughout the world.

The Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University [New Jersey, U.S.] began the 16 Days movement in 1991. It has now grown to include over 2,000 organizations in more than 154 countries worldwide.

Violence against women across the world has been frighteningly normalized. In Africa, women and girls can be subjected to a variety of violations including domestic abuse, rape, female genital mutilation, sexual assault, human trafficking and inimical widowhood rites. Violence against women can occur in all aspects of women’s lives and will encompass abuse of women’s civil, cultural, economic, social and political rights. AWDF, as part of its grant-making commitment, gives support to women’s groups and organizations to collectively raise awareness about the work of African women to transform their realities into peaceful and sustainable futures.

*Check out this short film by South African photographer and visual activist, Zanele Muholi, supported by Human Rights Watch for #16Days2013

AWDF has participated in the event since 2003. In that year, we began awarding grants annually as part of our Special Projects Initiative to support the 16 Days campaign. The objective of these grants are to enable African women’s organizations working to eliminate violence against women to better coordinate activities to commemorate the 16 Days event. In addition, the grants awarded strengthen an international, Pan-African women’s network on violence against women to develop into an effective mechanism for social transformation and to create opportunities for this network to join their voices to a critical global campaign.

The 2013 theme for the 16 Days campaign is “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women.” According to the main organizers, the 2013 campaign “advocates for awareness and action on the multi-faceted intersections of gender-based violence and militarism, while highlighting the connection between the struggle for economic and social rights and ending gender-based violence.”

A three-pronged focus for action underlines the campaign by highlighting the intersections of economic and social rights with militarism and gender-based violence: 1] violence perpetrated by state actors 2] domestic violence and the role of small arms and 3] sexual violence during and after conflict. The campaign encourages worldwide participants to focus on the areas most relevant to their particular context.

For more resources on #16Days and to see how you or your organization can get involved, click here for the 2013 Take Action Kit (TAK). #16Days is also alive and thriving online. Join the campaign by sharing key information and engaging with your social networks on different strategies to eliminate gender-based violence.

At the 2nd African Women in Film Forum (AWIFF), Ade Solanke, award winning playwright and screenwriter led a masterclass on scriptwriting.

The power point from this session is embedded below: