Category: News

With the kind support of Institut Français du Ghana, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) invites Ghanaian film makers to register for a one to one 45-minute appointment with François d’Artemare as part of the 2nd African Women in Film Forum (AWIFF), 23rd-25th September 2013. The aim of this activity is to provide expert advice and mentoring on preparing your artistic project for the international market. Filmmakers should register for this unique opportunity by emailing specialprograms@africlub.net/awdf with a short bio by Wednesday 18th September.

On Wednesday, 23rd September, 3.30pm-4.30pm, François d’Artemare will also lead a discussion as part of the AWIFF on:
Identifying Producers, Co-Producers and Film Project Development
This session will focus on how to find producers and co-producers for your film project. This will include the artistic development of a project, and practical insights on how to meet key people in the film industry, whilst gaining recognition in the international film world.

François D’Artemare is the founder of Les Films de l’Après-Midi, a company that has actively produced features films for 12 years. D’Artemare’s productions include: Bosnia (DJECA – Special Mention of the Jury, Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2012 and SNOW by Aida Begic – International Critics’ Week Grand Prix Award, Cannes 2008), Portugal (THE STRANGE CASE OF ANGELICA by Manoel de Oliveira – Cannes 2010: opening of Un Certain Regard), Brazil (FOUR FOR NONE by Alice de Andrade – Rotterdam 2005), Angola (THE HERO by Zeze Gamboa – World Cinema Dramatic Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival 2005). He and his associate are credited with discovering many talents especially from Portugal. Les Films de l’Après-Midi are committed to supporting young filmmakers (Aida Begic, Hiwot Admasu, Balint Kenyeres, João Salaviza), and also develop projects by established directors such as Manoel de Oliveira and Flora Gomes.

In 2010, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) convened the first African Women in Film Forum (AWIFF) in partnership with the Lufudo Academy of Performing Arts in Nigeria led by Joke Silva, acclaimed Nollywood actress. This initial AWIFF focused on the theme ‘Nollywood: Women and the Dynamics of Representation’.

Three years later the AWIFF is being convened in Accra, Ghana, with a broad range of partners including Alliance Française (Accra), Brand Woman Africa, Institut Français du Ghana, National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), and the Lufudo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA). The theme for this year is ‘Creating compelling social justice content for film and television’ with an exciting line up of speakers including:

• Ade Solanke, who wrote the screenplay for Nigerian director Tunde Kelani’s forthcoming film, Dazzling Mirage

• Akosua Adoma Owusu, Director of KWAKU ANANSE

• Amaka Igwe who has to her credit production of over 400 hours of TV programming and movies

• Anita Afonu, Director of Perished Diamonds

• Anita Erskine, Host of Making of a Mogul

• Dr Beti Ellerson, Director for the Centre for the Study and Research of African Women in Cinema

• Dr Sionne Neely, Knowledge Management Specialist at AWDF

• Dr Yaba Blay, Assistant Teaching Professor of Africana Studies at Drexel University and Consulting Producer for CNN’s Black in America 5 – Who is Black in America?

• François d’Artemare, Founder of Les Films de l’Après-Midi

• Korkor Amarteifio, Associate Director of the Institute for Music and Development

• Kwaw Ansah, Director of Love Brewed in the African Pot

• Lodi Matsetela, script writer and producer of Society, originally flighted on South African Broadcasting Corporation

• Prof. Linus Abraham, Rector of NAFTI

• Sarah Bouyain, Director of Notre Etrangere/The Place in Between

• Sarah Mukasa, Director of Programmes, AWDF;

• Sefi Atta, playwright and author of Everything Good Will Come

• Stéphanie Soleansky, Cultural Affairs Attaché at Institut Français du Ghana

• Tsitsi Dangarembga, author of Nervous Conditions

• Vicentia Akwetey, Dean of Studies, NAFTI

• Veronica Q-Nai, writer and director behind A Call at Midnight

• Yaba Badoe, Director and Co-Producer of The Witches of Gambaga

 

The general public in Ghana is invited to interact with speakers and participants of the AWIFF through a 2 day film festival made possible by sponsorship from Brand Woman Africa.

 

Date: Monday 23^rd September 2013

Film screenings: The Witches of Gambaga by Yaba Badoe and On the Border by Tsitsi Dangarembga

Venue: Alliance Francaise (Accra),

Time: 6pm

 

Date: Tuesday 24^th September 2013

Film screenings: Perished Diamonds by Anita Afonu and Notre Etrangere/The Place in Between with Sarah Bouyain

Venue: NAFTI

Time: 6pm

 

Filmmakers based in Ghana who wish to participate in the AWIFF can email specialprograms@africlub.net/awdf for more information

To learn even more about the AWIFF read an interview on the African Women in Cinema Blog with Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, Communications Specialist, AWDF.

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]‘We all have power, different types of power. When we don’t acknowledge that power, it’s easier for others to step all over us.’

As both grantmaker and fundraiser, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has been on both sides of the fence. As a result, Theo Sowa, AWDF CEO and chair of the African Grantmakers Network, has very clear views about the use and abuse of power. Caroline Hartnell asked her what power AWDF has and how it seeks to use it responsibly, and about the importance of African women setting their own agenda.

Read more of Theo’s interview in Alliance Magazine [/tp]

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]‘Nous avons tous un pouvoir, différents types de pouvoirs. Lorsque nous ne reconnaissons pas ce pouvoir, il est plus facile pour les autres de nous marcher dessus. ‘

À la fois comme bailleur de fonds et collecteur de fonds, le Fonds africain de développement de la femme (AWDF) a été des deux côtés de la clôture. En conséquence, Theo Sowa, Directrice Générale d’AWDF et présidente du Réseau des subventionneurs en Afrique, a des vues très claires sur l’utilisation et l’abus de pouvoir. Caroline Hartnell lui a demandé quel est le pouvoir d’AWDF et comment il cherche à utiliser de façon responsable, et à propos de l’importance de fixer leur propre agenda femmes africaines.

Lire la suite de l’interview de Theo dans Alliance Magazine[/tp]

Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) in Lagos, Nigeria has run a successful mentorship programme since 2009, targeted at young women looking to achieve senior leadership position in the workplace or in business life.

To apply visit WISCAR’s website and complete the online application form. For further inquiries, please call +234 806 645 2894.Registration closes August 31st.

 

Click here to support the Mother Africa campaign

 

Congratulations to Mphatheleni Makaulule, Founder of the Mupo Foundation who was recently awarded a Global Leadership Award by the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI). The Mupo Foundation works to preserve and revive cultural and biological diversity in South Africa and in 2011, AWDF provided a grant of US$25,000 to the organisation in support of training of women’s groups in land rights and environmental protection issues, as well as undertake advocacy activities on the protection of sacred sites, watersheds and forests.

Mphatheleni has been working closely with women of the VhaVenda nation in northern South Africa, to preserve local seed varieties (especially the sacred finger millet known locally as Mufhoho) in order to secure food sovereignty. The foundation has also opposed mining in their community which constitutes a threat to land, and a traditional way of life.

Accepting the award, Mpatheleni stated:

“I say ‘Aa, Ro livhuwa’ (Thank you) to FIMI. Even though I went to school and university, I can never be disconnected from indigenous ways. I have a bond with my culture, and my ancestors. We the descendents of the vhavenda traditional healers, children of indigenous clans, recognize that as humans we depend all the other creatures of the Earth for our wellbeing. Our lives are intimately connected to the wellbeing of our indigenous forests, rivers, springs and our indigenous seed and food as evolved with us over time.

We, as women, hold the responsibility for the custodianship of life, because the ancestors chose us to be Makhadzi. Makahdzi is not just a name or title; it is a role – a spiritual role. We are the custodians of water, soil, seed and forests, and traditional medicine that come from indigenous trees. Rituals and food are our responsibility. At this time of such destruction of our Mother Earth, Mupo, we cannot stand back and watch life being destroyed. As mothers we recognize the pain of life being destroyed so recklessly when it takes so much to create life.

I believe that women need to stand up now as never before, against mining and all that is destroying life. We must do this for the sake of future generations of all of life. Human children will have no future without the children of the fish and the birds, the animals and the frogs, the bees and the plants, the waters, the rocks and the soils. We are born at this time to take a stand, to call people to wake up before we loose it all.

This award is a huge recognition of the task which I feel that I have in this life. The meaning of my name is “build for me”, and so I see that my ancestors want me to work with them to rebuild what has been undermined – our indigenous ways of living which protect and respect Mupo, all of creation. We are part of creation and we have a responsibility to take care of it. I never thought that my vision and being a Phangami (a leader from behind) would be recognized in this way and I would like to also acknowledge the Makhadzi and communities of Venda, and all those who are committed to reviving their ancestral path. This award from FIMI is a great motivation to continue to stand for the real role of indigenous women in protecting life.

Our role as spiritual leaders is to bring harmony (shothodzo) and wellbeing to all of Mother Earth’s communities. To all women around the world, we must remember our role as mothers and healers. Today we need to heal our Earth from all challenges we are facing through climate change, biodiversity extinctions, water shortages, We need to learn from our knowledgeable elder women before they pass away. They are our living library, but not forever.

I am a defender of sacred sites and indigenous spirituality, which is why I defended the destruction of Phiphidi sacred waterfall and also the role of makahdzi. Venda people know that they cannot be chiefs or leaders without the leadership of the makhadzi, the women. We women are natural leaders; our leadership is a scared leadership role.

I call on the South African government and those who appreciate the vital role of indigenous knowledge in dealing with the many crises of ecosystem collapse and climate change, to recognize indigenous peoples and their way of life. This means, as the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights calls for, recognizing our sacred natural sites and territories and custodial governance systems so that we can continue to live according to our indigenous knowledge systems. Indigenous knowledge is rooted in practice, not in libraries. It is about protecting the sanctity of life, as a way of life, as we have done for millennia. Now, more than ever, the industrial world needs to wake up to the fact that our planet is in crisis and everyone needs to learn once again that we are inextricably part of the web of life, and need to abide by her ecological laws – for the sake of all the children of all species.”

 

 

Negemelelakennew HIV Positive Women Support Organization (NLK) is a much needed space for women living positively in Ethiopia. The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has provided NLK with US$80,000 in grants since 2007. AWDF’s grant making and capacity building support to NLK has included supporting the leadership of the organisation to strengthen their resource mobilisation skills by participating in the International Workshop on Resource Mobilisation, and supporting NLK’s economic empowerment activities which has included supporting the purchase of sewing machines, and training women living positively in sewing and knitting skills.

Recently NLK went through a leadership transition and Ms Beteleheam Ashebir, former General Manager, in an email to AWDF stated:

“At the time of NLK’s conception as village level consultation and experience sharing meeting group of 5 HIV positive women, we did not realize that one day NLK would become a large organization reaching thousands of women and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS; today but, NLK has grown-up to be one of successful front liner reputable charity organization in changing the tide of HIV/AIDS in the countrywide grass root communities of Ethiopia. Beloved sisters, all these development and achievements would have been never possible without generosity support of several international and national compassionate donors such as African Women Development Fund (AWDF), Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF), World Learning- USAID, Global Fund for Women, Global Fund, Volunteer Services Over Seas (VSO), Federal HIV/AIDS Control Office (FHAPCO); and People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) Networks. On behalf of our HIV/AIDS infected and affected target groups we are dedicated to work for life time; we value, appreciate and heartily thank forever these partners. Indeed, I cannot have enough words ever to thank our most respected donors- African Women Development Fund (AWDF),World Learning- USAID and Stephen Lewis Foundation(SLF) for their long term incredible dedication and devotion to the cause of NLK women from the past to present and future as well I believe. Indeed, the lion’s share of NLK’s achievements belongs to them.”

AWDF is honoured to have had the opportunity to work with NLK. We especially thank Ms Beteleheam Ashebir for her hard work, sacrifice and dedication to improving the quality of life for thousands of Ethiopian women living positively. AWDF is especially impressed with the rigourous steps the NLK has taken to ensure a smooth leadership transition. A testimony of the impact of Beteleheam Ashebir’s work is evident in the letter sent to AWDF by Ms Rahel Gizachew Demussie, NLK’s new General Manager.

The letter is shared in full below with the permisson of Rahel.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Dear Beatrice and all colleagues at AWDF;

Kindly allow me to introduce myself. My Name is Rahel Gizachew Demessie the new General Manager of NLK since June 22, 2013 succeeding Mrs. Betheleheam Ashabir. Dear Colleagues, firstly, I would love to share on my association to NLK and Mrs. Betheleheam Ashabir long before the current transition.

I knew Mrs. Betheleheam Ashabir before we co-founded NLK with other three sisters in 2005. I met Betheleheam for first time late 2003, when she was teaching positive living for People living with HIV/AIDS to general patients at waiting room of a hospital in Addis Ababa. That day was not the first day I went to Hospital to consult my physician about my Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART), but it was the first day; I saw a confident HIV Positive women speaking out openly about HIV/AIDS from her own experiences.

Influenced by her speech, I approached and told her after teaching session, about my distressful life due my HIV status. That time I was 20 and dropped out of school upon learning my status six months before. My status was confidential, nobody even my parents, but only the physician I was being supported at the Hospital. That day, I confidentially requested Bethlehem, if she could be help and advise me on perspective of future life and hopes as I was young and HIV positive. Bety replied, “Rahel, you know I am also HIV positive women, does not matter, we can still live positively and help ourselves and even others, we can still make difference, we can still live for purpose, strictly follow the advice of your therapists and Adhere to your ART, be strong, Tomorrow is Another Day”.

Then, I left to my home. That night though I went to my bed I could not sleep as my mind repeating her words as “tomorrow is another day, I can live and help myself and even others. Dear Colleagues, I cannot tell enough how much I was inspired by her responses. Her inspiring respond to my questions did pour power into my soul; changed my long perspective of self-worthless for optimism of bright future and purposeful life

A few weeks later, I went back to Betheleheam to thank her for her inspiring responses to my questions on the earlier week. I told her since that day, my soul filled with power and hope; my worthless self-perspective had been changed. In response to my feedback, Bety jumped up with joy, “Yes, Yes” she said. She was extremely happy about the new experience and change in my life shortly. She happily said to me, “thank you Rahel! Now I advise you to restore to your education and I need you to work together in future on purpose as well” Six months later, she organized us with 4 HIV positive women in the community whom she knew taught at the hospital to work together in future to support other women living with HIV/AIDS in our communities. Then, with no delay, we got to discussion on how we would go ahead to realize our dream. Shortly; we formed ourselves as village level consultation and experience sharing meeting volunteer group and started with confidence speaking out to families, neighbors, friends, relatives and the community members that we were all HIV positive, but we wanted to provide consultation and share our experiences to save the new generation from HIV/AIDS.

At that onset, I cannot tell enough the extent of hardship we faced from our own families and community members for doing that. We were blamed, Judged, and labeled. Besides, there were many who abusively ridiculed us. Nevertheless, under the dedicated leadership of Betheleheam, all the challenges could not stop as from moving forward; selflessly, we continued be involved in a wide variety of activities at all levels of the fight against AIDS; from appearing on posters, bearing personal testimony, and supporting and counseling others.

That selfless commitment gradually resulted into remarkable changes. We could be able drew attention of most community members and local support providers after one year of such tough work. Subsequently, we could be able to upgrade our village confined experience sharing and consultation group to “HIV positive women support association” which we called NLK is Acronyms which stands for “NEGEM LELA KEN NEW” in Amharic which means “Tomorrow is another day” in English.

In 2006, the meeting group (now NLK) with a membership of 70 infected women gained NGO status with legal registration by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia charities and Societies Agency. It further entered into Project Agreements with the respective bureaus of Addis Ababa City Administration, Amhara and Oromiya Regional National States of Ethiopia in 2006 which has been renewed every three years and renewed this year up to 2015 as well. As April of 2013, the organization’s membership is in excess of 1200 members, associate members and 2200 volunteers of which women account for 90%. NLK has a General Assembly which has supreme power over all corporate matters and has 19 members with wide ranging experiences; and has a clearly articulated constitution which governs all of its’ activities.

Today, NLK operates through a National Secretariat in Addis Ababa and has three regional offices located in Ambo Town of Oromiya Regional National State, Shewa Robit and Ataye towns in Amhara Regional National State. NLK’s activities in Addis Ababa are focused in Gulele and Addis Ketema Sub Cities. In addition, NLK has three IGA training centers for training all beneficiaries.

Currently, NLK has equipped with qualified and well experienced 19 employees. Luckily, the NLK staffs are reliable and most dedicated to the shared vision of NLK. I cannot tell enough their earnest feeling of organizational ownership, devotion, belongingness, flexibility and ability. They are outstanding performers independently and as Team. That is why we call them always “The NLK Team!”

Today NLK become a meaningful organization reaching thousands of women, grandmothers and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. Indeed, many thanks to our national and international compassionate partners, including our respected donor African Women Development Fund (AWDF) without their generosity and dedication to our effort all would have been impossible.

Dear Colleagues, on this historical transition I am really proud of Betheleheam as she is leaving us on good foundation. Going forward, however, we still aware of waiting tough work and commitment as NLK continues to respond to truly curb the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in our communities. On this regard, during working with Betheleheam on the transition process, I was informed many programmatic and institutional issues seek attention prospectively. Among others, diversifying the resource base of NLK and enhance its ability to garner adequate resources required for executing projects that is going to be undertaken in order to meet the need of our target affected and infected women, grandmothers and OVCs as in our strategic objectives, establishing NLK’s own building which will serve for offices and all IGA centers at one center… and ensuring NLK’s long term sustainability are most attention seeking priorities.

Going forward, therefore, primarily, we continue engage in aggressive executive board, management and staff, involvement in effort of local resource mobilization; on this regard, the current resource mobilization strategy developed plan through the compassionate assistance of AWDF will be our guiding tool. Moreover, we continue work hard to strengthen ties with our existing financiers of NLK’s national and International Organizations whilst continue more assessing the interest of national and international donors financing in the area of HIV/AIDS and proactively designing and proposing projects that are acceptable to them.

Dear colleagues, I regret to take much of your time on this, but I feel to ensure our partners keep well informed on this transition process and our way going forward. Thank you so much indeed for your understanding, cooperation and continued dedication to NLK and our target needy HIV/AIDS infected and affected poor women and children we continue work for with full commitment and dedication.

Warmly Regards

Rahel Gizachew Demessie
General Manager
Negemelelakennew HIV Positive Women Support Organization,(NLK)