Category: News

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AWDF is seeking to engage a consultant to translate and proofread the following research products from our 2019 research titled, “Women and Noncommunicable Diseases in Africa: Mapping the scale, actors and extent of rights-based work to address the impact of NCDs on African women” covering the following specific products;

1. Research report:
2. Executive Summary:
3. NCDs research key messages:

The translation will be from the documents’ source language (English) into French to reach our Francophone audiences. Under the supervision of the Knowledge Management Specialist, the consultant will translate and proofread covers, text, tables, boxes, captions, charts, graphs, financial information and statistical data in the documents.

HOW TO APPLY
Please send a CV, cover email, translation sample and indication of your rate for English- French translation to consultants@africlub.net/awdf with the email subject header: Application for consultancy-Translator, NCDs Research products. Emails should be addressed to “The Human Resources Manager.”
Submissions must be received no later than September 10, 2020

Please click here to download the TERMS OF REFERENCE

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L’AWDF cherche à engager un consultant pour traduire et relire les produits de recherche suivants de notre étude de 2019 intitulée “Les femmes et les maladies non transmissibles en Afrique: Cartographier l’ampleur, les acteurs et l’étendue du travail basé sur les droits pour aborder l’impact des MNT sur les femmes africaines”, qui comprend les produits spécifiques suivants;

1. Rapport de recherche:
2. Sommaire exécutif:
3. Messages clés de la recherche sur les MNT:

La traduction se fera de la langue source des documents (anglais) vers le français pour atteindre nos publics francophones. Sous la direction de la Spécialiste en gestion des connaissances, le consultant traduira et corrigera les couvertures, le texte, les tableaux, les encadrés, les légendes, les graphiques, les informations financières et les données statistiques des documents.

COMMENT POSTULER
Veuillez envoyer un CV, un courriel de présentation, un échantillon de traduction et une indication de votre tarif pour la traduction anglais-français à consultants@africlub.net/awdf avec l’objet du courriel: Candidature pour le poste de traducteur-conseil, produits de recherche NCDs. Les courriels doivent être adressés au ” responsable des ressources humaines “.
Les candidatures doivent être reçues au plus tard le 10 septembre 2020

Veuillez cliquer ici pour télécharger les TERMES DE RÉFÉRENCE (en anglais)

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By Lydia Maclean, Communications & Fundraising Specialist

As an organisation with a mission to mobilise financial, human and material resources to support African women’s organisations, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has provided over 50 million dollars in grants since its inception in 2001.

AWDF is both a grantmaking and fundraising organisation, and therefore straddles two sides of philanthropy. This provides a deeper appreciation of the various forms of philanthropy that exist, especially in Africa where philanthropy is deeply embedded in our culture and traditions, but generally goes under-acknowledged.

CEO Theo Sowa, in an interview with Alliance magazine, made this observation:

“There are lots of different agendas around philanthropy on the continent. Philanthropy has been strong in Africa for a very long time, but it’s not been properly documented or valued. On the one hand, you have the Ibrahims and the Motsepes, high net worth individuals who set up foundations and give large amounts of money. On the other, we have giving by millions of ordinary Africans that comes from solidarity, not necessarily from surplus, so people with very little will still give. Gerry Salole of the European Foundation Centre has this great line that ‘there is no successful African who has not benefited at some point from another African’s philanthropy’. Philanthropy is ingrained in Africa”.

AWDF staff firmly share this belief, and in 2006, initiated a workplace giving scheme which has raised substantial amounts and supported various causes across the continent. In an earlier article on workplace giving, Director of Operations Gertrude Annoh Quarshie refers to it as an “opportunity to take action”. In addition to showing solidarity and inspiring others to give, workplace giving contributes to team building as it creates collective impact.

Over the years, the AWDF Workplace giving fund has supported various organisations and women’s groups in projects including the re-opening of the Ark Shelter of the Ark foundation in Ghana, and donation of materials for a training workshop at the Nsawam female prisons, also in Ghana.

The most recent beneficiary of the AWDF Workplace giving programme is the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust, based in South Africa. The Director of Rape Crisis, Kathleen Dey, affirms that “Thanks to this donation we will be able to provide communication support for our work with women during this time of COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa. The fact that this donation comes from your staff’s monthly payroll contribution and that they chose this project to support moves us all very deeply.”

For more information about the AWDF Workplace giving programme, please send an email to awdf@awdf.org

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A fond farewell to Jessica Horn, Director of Programmes

After nearly five years as Director of Programmes, Jessica Horn will be leaving the African Women’s Development Fund. Her last day is Friday 14 August 2020. Jessica has brought unparalleled passion, creativity and diligence as well as her extensive knowledge of feminist theory and practice to bear in her work and that of AWDF. We are sorry to see her go, but happy that she is moving on to a new and exciting phase in her career. We honour and celebrate her contribution to AWDF’s vision and action during the past five years.

Over the next few weeks we will be publishing a series of Jessica’s reflections on her experiences leading on programme strategy, and contributing to organisational culture and feminist transformation while at AWDF. Read the first one here

And a warm welcome to Pontso Mafethe

Meanwhile, AWDF has appointed an Interim Director of Programmes, Pontso Mafethe, who joins AWDF in September 2020. Pontso comes to AWDF with more than 15 years experience in grantmaking and programme direction, having previously led the Women and Girls and Africa portfolios at the grantmaking organisation, Comic Relief and other civil society organisations in the UK and different parts of Africa.

Please join us in welcoming Pontso to the AWDF team, as we wish Jessica a fond farewell.

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Un adieu chaleureux à Jessica Horn, directrice des programmes

Après près de cinq ans en tant que directrice des programmes, Jessica Horn quittera l’AWDF. Son dernier jour est le vendredi 14 août 2020. Jessica a apporté une passion, une créativité et une diligence inégalées ainsi que sa connaissance approfondie de la théorie et de la pratique féministes à son travail et à celui de l’AWDF. Nous sommes désolés de la voir partir, mais heureux qu’elle passe à une nouvelle phase passionnante de sa carrière. Nous honorons et célébrons sa contribution à la vision et à l’action de l’AWDF au cours des cinq dernières années.

Au cours des prochaines semaines, nous publierons une série de réflexions de Jessica sur ses expériences en tant que responsable de la stratégie des programmes et sa contribution à la culture organisationnelle et à la transformation féministe pendant son séjour à l’AWDF. Lisez la première ici (En anglais)

Et un accueil chaleureux à Pontso Mafethe

Entre-temps, l’AWDF a nommé un directeur intérimaire des programmes, Pontso Mafethe, qui rejoindra l’AWDF en septembre 2020. Pontso arrive à l’AWDF avec plus de 15 ans d’expérience dans l’octroi de subventions et la direction de programmes, ayant précédemment dirigé les portefeuilles ” Women and Girls and Africa ” de l’organisme d’octroi de subventions, Comic Relief et d’autres organisations de la société civile au Royaume-Uni et dans différentes régions d’Afrique.

Veuillez nous rejoindre pour accueillir Pontso dans l’équipe de l’AWDF, pendant que nous souhaitons à Jessica un chaleureux adieu.

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SOLIDARITY MESSAGE

The African Women’s Development Fund extends condolences to the residents of Beirut following the massive explosion that rocked the city on Tuesday.

We are deeply saddened by the news and our thoughts are with our sisters and their families who live and work in the city. As devastating as this is, we know you will continue to show strength, resilience and leadership in your response, just as you have shown in the incredible work you are doing in the region around migrant domestic workers and refugees as well as pushing for the rights of LBTQ women.

Stay Strong, and Stay Safe. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

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Message de Solidarité

L’AWDF présente ses condoléances aux habitants de Beyrouth à la suite de l’explosion massive qui a secoué la ville ce mardi.

Nous sommes profondément attristés par cette nouvelle et nos pensées vont à nos sœurs et à leurs familles qui vivent et travaillent dans la ville. Aussi dévastateur que cela soit, nous savons que vous continuerez à faire preuve de force, de résilience et de leadership dans votre réponse. Nous le savons grâce au travail incroyable que vous faites dans la région en faveur des travailleurs domestiques migrants et des réfugiés, ainsi qu’en faveur des femmes LBTQ.

Restez forts, et restez en sécurité. Nos pensées et nos prières sont avec vous.

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We look to continue envisioning a future Africa that ensures women’s and girls’ sustainable livelihoods, meaningful labour, and full socio-economic autonomy.

Launched by AWDF in October 2018, the Bread and Butter Series is a knowledge product that culminated from the African women’s economic futures convening held in Accra in the same year. Twenty-seven (27) activists, academics, development workers and knowledge producers extensively discussed and engaged in workshop and group activities to build sound advocacy strategies aimed at shaping sustainable economic futures for African women. The convening was informed by AWDF’s fourth strategic plan Shaping the Future, and its accompanying Futures Trends Analysis Report which highlight evidence-based socio-economic trend implications projected for women and girls on the continent.

Read the first article in the second series here:

African Feminist Futures – Macro-economic Pathways

The expression “bread and butter” refers both to the ways in which individuals come to sustain themselves usually through paid work and individuals’ practical, every day needs and concerns. The economic futures convening was a first step in a journey to better support future-oriented strategies that engender African women’s economic justice and security. Since then, we have continued to work with dynamic African feminist writers to conceptualise, research, document and publish critical and radical perspectives about theirs and the experiences, contributions, needs and opportunities of African women and girls at micro and macro-economic levels.

Covering a range of topics from macro-economic policy pathways to the actual implication of distribution of economic resources at household level, this knowledge series affirms that African women’s economic issues are both internalised and challenged in everyday acts of resistance and solution-building. Moreover, that like never before, it is critical to, among other things, demystify economics as a white, male and Western concept that is out of reach for African women.

The Bread and Butter knowledge series uphold that all African women understand the consequences and solutions for oppressive neoliberal capitalist economic models and seek to encourage their voices as economic actors, thinkers and shapeshifters.
We invite your readership and engagement with the real “bread and butter” issues that women and girls face in Africa through the opinion pieces, research essays and narratives compiled in this series. And as you do, we look to continue envisioning a future Africa that ensures women’s and girls’ sustainable livelihoods, meaningful labour, and full socio-economic autonomy.

We hope that this series will engender new conversations about how we support African women to pursue economic justice and security. We also hope to contribute to a larger conversation about how philanthropic institutions regionally and globally can better support African women’s economic interests, as described by African women, themselves.

Do you have feedback on any of the Bread and Butter articles? Please email our Knowledge Management Specialist, dinnah@awdf.org

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Congratulations to Abena Amoah, former Board member of the African Women’s Development Fund, on her appointment as Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange.

Abena’s appointment is exciting as this makes her the first female executive director of the Exchange, a hitherto male-dominated industry; but not surprising because she is an accomplished investment banker and capital markets expert who has led on many landmark transactions for over two decades.

She was a stellar member of team while she served on the board of AWDF and brought her wealth of experience to bear. Abena is an inspiration to both staff and partners, blazing the trail, and showing that she is a true African woman: determined, intelligent, dynamic and unstoppable.

We are proud of you Sister, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for you.

Read the GSE Press Release here:

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Félicitations à Abena Amoah, ancienne membre du conseil d’administration de l’AWDF, pour sa nomination au poste de directeur général adjoint de la Bourse du Ghana.

La nomination d’Abena est particulièrement intéressante, car elle devient la première femme directrice exécutive de la Bourse, un secteur jusqu’alors dominé par les hommes ; mais ce n’est pas surprenant, car elle est une banquière d’affaires et une experte des marchés des capitaux accomplie qui a dirigé de nombreuses transactions marquantes pendant plus de deux décennies.

Elle a été un membre éminent de l’équipe lorsqu’elle siégeait au conseil d’administration de l’AWDF et a mis à profit sa riche expérience. Abena est une source d’inspiration pour le personnel et les partenaires, elle ouvre la voie et montre qu’elle est une véritable femme africaine : déterminée, intelligente, dynamique et inarrêtable.

Nous sommes fiers de toi, sœur, et nous avons hâte de voir ce que l’avenir te réserve.

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We’re looking for an African Feminist Consultant to support our virtual training.

The AWDF Capacity Building Unit is seeking an expert consultant to work under the supervision of the Director of Programmes and Capacity Building team to advise on the design, structuring and delivering of online trainings. As part of this we will be taking into account both the need to review training approaches in the online environment, consider implications for participants with disabilities, security and privacy, and also ease of access to virtual platforms given that many participants have difficulties with internet connectivity.

If you have a track record of work supporting activist NGOs to build online learning platforms and approaches and are committed to Feminist values, please contact us today! Click here for the Terms of Reference

Closing Date: 27th July 2020

I remember Hope Chigudu warmly embracing me, whispering to me these words, “It is time to let go of everything even if it’s going to hurt others…so you can heal, be free and start thinking of yourself as a person.” These words are still my guiding principles today.

~ Florence Awuor, Flourish Retreat participant.

AWDF’s inaugural Flourish Retreat was launched in February this year in what will turn out to be an incredibly empowering start to what was going to be a very difficult year.

Taking place at the beautiful Sogakope beach resort located in the Volta region of Ghana, the Flourish retreat is one strand of the AWDF Flourish Project aimed at strengthening feminist organising across Africa, a partner project of the NOVO Foundation’s Radical Hope Fund. Built deliberately around African healing philosophy and practices, the Flourish facilitators used a plethora of tools – art, chakras for emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing, breathing exercises, affirmations, dancing, aromatherapy, meditation, moon rituals, yoga, poetry and creative writing, individual and group reflection sessions, journaling, theatre and counselling sessions.

The NoVo Foundation launched the Radical Hope Fund in July 2017 with a global call for projects grounded in new partnerships, bold experimentation, and a deep commitment to social justice. The vision of Radical Hope is to create spaces for dreaming new possibilities, experimenting with new collaborations and developing new, creative strategies to overcome structural failures. AWDF’s Flourish Project was one of 19 initiatives selected to support this vision on the continent.

Using a transformational, feminist approach, the Flourish retreat created a dynamic healing space for 20 African feminists. These were women working on the frontlines of VAW prevention in the fields of sex work, women living with HIV, running rape crisis centres, healing and feminist movement building.

In an interview, Jessica Horn, Director of Programmes at AWDF, speaks about healing, the AWDF Flourish retreat and her vision for what the retreat could do within the African feminist movement. Jessica is a writer and political commentator, co-founder of AIR. She curates open mics where people explore the concept of Revolutionary Love and also acted as a Flourish Facilitator at the inaugural Flourish Retreat.

Written by Nana Akosua Hanson, Programme Officer, Catalytic Initiatives, AWDF

Click here to read the full interview and also the reflections of the participants – A Flourish State of Mind blog

To see more pictures from the retreat, visit our Instagram page @theawdf

For women in the formal labour force, there is the reality of the glass ceiling and the discriminatory requirements for moving past a certain point on the career ladder which is exacerbated by a lack of access to a broad range of job opportunities. In addition, there is the normalisation of sexual harassment in the workplace due to patriarchal work cultures. Finally, there is greater precarity with contracts when it comes to women (including those tied to immigration e.g. Kafala in Lebanon; and the use of short term contracting to evade worker protections as employees are then not eligible for full time worker benefits e.g. Kenya tea farmers).
Organisations fighting for women’s labour rights face the perpetual challenge of accessing adequate funding which is needed to build and sustain advocacy, community level groups and the national and transnational momentum for change. The presence of supportive, flexible and multi-year funding in particular makes a tremendous difference in the ability to maintain labour right activism.

In November 2019, AWDF held a convening in Accra with six grantee organisations of Leading from the South, to discuss the different aspects of women’s labour rights advocacy in Africa and the Middle East and also to explore commonalities in strategies and approaches, challenges and areas for growth.

To read the Report from the Convening, click here: Labour Rights Convening Report

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—which include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health conditions—are already leading causes of death and disability for women in many countries across Africa with worrying forecasts for the future. National, regional and global attention with regards to women’s health on the continent however remains largely fixated on infectious diseases and maternal and child health

In an effort to address these gaps and explore the opportunities to better support African women’s organisations around engagement with NCD prevention and control, the African Women’s Development Fund, commissioned a research project to look at:

(1) the scale and key gendered concerns around NCDs and women in Africa;

(2) the key actors responding to the rise in NCDs in Africa;

(3) how these actors are responding and whether gender, equity and rights being considered in these responses; and

(4) the opportunities and challenges for African women’s organisations around engagement with NCD prevention and control and ways to support greater engagement on links between NCDs and women’s rights.

To read the Executive Summary of the Report, click here

For the full report on Women and Non-communicable Diseases in Africa, click here

Women and NCDs Exec Summary

Women and NCDs in Africa