Prudence Mabele is the Executive Director of the ‘Positive Women’s Network‘ (PWN) in South Africa, an organisation that supports women living positively. To date, PWN has received US$210,000 in grants from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). This has included funding to support the expansion of PWN’s ‘Community Home Based Care’ programme, bursaries for staff to attend influential policy spaces where issues of HIV and AIDS are being discussed, such as the ‘International Aids Conference’, and support for education and awareness raising on HIV and AIDS. Prudence is also a member of the African Women’s Leaders Network for Family Planning which supports the efforts of African women to improve access to reproductive health and family planning.

In this video Prudence shares her thoughts on the state of violence against women in South Africa.

 

 

Photography by Paballo Thekiso

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To download a PDF of this poster please click below:

AWDF ePoster (1)

Alliance Française (Accra) and the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is pleased to announce that Fatoumata Diabate, an award winning photographer, will be teaching a basic photography workshop at Alliance Francaise (Accra) from 9am-12pm between the 18^th of February and the 21^st of February 2012.

15 amateur women photographers will be selected to participate in this workshop. The workshop aims to build African women’s skills to be able to document their own stories, experiences and contributions to Africa’s development. This is part of our efforts to address the knowledge gaps in our history and documentation about

the roles African women have made to develop their communities and nations.

Please apply by emailing thelma@africlub.net/awdf and in 100 words or less, tell us why you should be chosen to participate in this workshop. Alternatively, you may also apply by sending an image or images you have shot. The subject field of your email should state ‘Photography Workshop’. Please do not send more than 3 images, or 1mb of digital information. Please send your applications by the close of day on the 12th of February 2013.

Kindly note that selected participants will need to participate in ALL days of the workshop, and may be asked to work on a photography project as part of the class.

 

“AWDF’s support towards CAFENEC has been immense and immeasurable. AWDF’s support has opened more promising avenues to CAFENEC. The impact made by the AWDF funded widowhood rites project, has attracted partners such as GTZ/GIZ and Partnership Transparency Fund to also support CAFENEC’s activities in diverse ways. As a result of AWDF’s support, CAFENEC is now known all over the international circles.” Lyddienne Nkaleu, National President, Committee d’ Assistance a la Femme Necessiteuse du Cameroon (CAFENEC)

 

For many of AWDF’s grantee partners across the continent, AWDF has been their first funder. AWDF’s support to community-based organisations strengthens existing groups which grantees are able to leverage to generate additional resources and support as exemplified by the quote above.

In 2010, AWDF provided CAFENEC with a grant of US$15,000 to support women farmers and traders, many of whom are women are living positively. Out of the grant received, CAFENEC purchased 2 grain grinding mills, 2 vegetable grinding mills, 2 mills for grinding groundnuts and melon seeds, 1 grater for grinding gari, (a derivative of cassava) and 8 spraying machines. Four subsidiary women’s groups (representing 42 women in total) benefited from micro credit loans of CFA 500,000 (approx. US$1000) to CFA 800,000 (approx. US$1600). The credit received has enabled women traders to engage in small-scale businesses, which include catering services and animal husbandry.

Members of CAFENEC report that starting small businesses have also given their self-confidence a boost. Many members who had previously not travelled outside their own villages now visit larger towns to trade. Women farmers are now able to provide themselves and their families with at least one nutritious meal a day. As a result the health of women living positively within the group has improved, members fall sick less often and as a result have seen a reduction in the stigma they faced from family and other members of the community.

PROGRAMMES SPECIALIST, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Background

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant making foundation, which aims to support the work of the African women’s movement for peace, equality, sustainable development and social justice. AWDF, which is based in Accra, Ghana. AWDF requires the services of an experienced, innovative and dedicated Programmes Specialist, Knowledge Management, to support the senior management team in the development and implementation of an organisational knowledge management strategy.

Job Specification

As a learning organisation, the generation of knowledge, its management and dissemination is critical to the work of AWDF. Knowledge produced in various forms within AWDF is important to the organisation’s mandate to raise the profile and visibility of African women, the African Women’s Movement, the organisation itself and most importantly, the issues it seeks to address.AWDF also disseminates knowledge to showcase the work of its grantees, to raise awareness of the issues they seek to address, to influence decision-making in Africa and internationally and to mobilise greater public support for women’s rights in Africa. In addition, it generates and disseminates information, knowledge and learning to strengthen grantee organisational effectiveness.

The post holder will be responsible for coordinating AWDF’s knowledge management function, ensuring a sound evidence base of the impact of AWDF’s work, as well as the ability to showcase this work and the issues the organisation seeks to address, to broad publics both internal and external to AWDF.

The post holder will have primary responsibility for:

1. Commissioning, Repackaging and Disseminating of research in AWDF’s key areas of work:

• Ensuring AWDF is kept abreast of external research, studies and trends that will impact on AWDF’s key areas of work.
• Coordinating specified AWDF commissioned research
• Developing tools to enhance knowledge management within AWDF
• Working closely with the Communications team to disseminate key information and education about AWDF’s work.

2. Ensuring Quality Standards of AWDF’s Knowledge Production
   • Coordinating the compilation of AWDF’s key publications
   • Ensuring that publications such as reports and other publications are produced in line with AWDF’s publications and reporting guidelines.
   • Ensuring that all AWDF commissioned research and documentation is produced in line with AWDF publications and reporting guidelines.

3. Ensuring a Sound Evidence Base of AWDF’s Impact
   • Working with the M&E Specialist to produce periodic qualitative and quantitive reports of AWDF’s work and achievements
   • Compiling or coordinating compelling narratives of the achievements of AWDF’s constituents for advocacy, awareness raising and public mobilisation.
   • Development of dissemination strategies for this work
   • Supporting senior management and AWDF colleagues with high quality, well written, accurate and specific information to achieve AWDF’s mandate
   • Developing and managing a database of AWDF’s key partners and stakeholders.

4. Ensuring Knowledge Production as a Learning Tool
   • Coordinating the production or collation of good practice guidelines, tools and practice
   • Providing regular internal briefs to AWDF staff team
   • Developing advocacy materials, policy and legislative briefs on key aspects of AWDF’s work
   • Representing AWDF at key meetings and convenings with a view to demonstrate AWDF effectiveness and value added from a sound evidence base.

5. Managing AWDF’s Resource Centre
   • Working with the team to update the electronic and physical library as well as oversee the use of this resource).
   • Providing guidance to the management team on key research, documentation, studies and writing for purchase to house in the resource centre

6. Any other duties as may be assigned by the line manager

Person Specification

• At least a second degree in social sciences or related field with at least seven years relevant experience, including significant experience of working in the field of women’s rights organising in Africa.
• Strong analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Strong IT skills especially in the areas of database development and management
• Demonstrable commitment to women’s rights and social justice.
• A productive self starter who can develop and put in place innovative information ideas
• Demonstrable ability to liaise with a broad range of people
• Ability to absorb high volumes of information and documentation and to break down difficult and complicated concepts.
• Ability to track multiple activities assist and collaborate with other staff and respond to direction and requests
• Ability to work on one’s own with minimum supervision.
• Experience working with an international organisation (preferred)
• Working knowledge of French preferred.
• Experience of engaging in social science research is desirable
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally

Qualified candidates should send applications (2 pages) and a CV of not more than 4 pages to the Human Resources Manager, African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), 78 Ambassadorial Enclave, East Legon, P.M.B.CT 89, Cantonments Accra Ghana. Copies should be sent by email to Grace@africlub.net/awdf, with ‘Programmes Specialist, Knowledge Management’ as the subject reference. Applications should reach AWDF no later than February 28, 2013.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.

In 2012, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) received a total of 905 grant applications from 35 Africancountries. A total of 187 organisations from 32 African countries were awarded grants of $2,176,500 in the following thematic areas: Women’s Human Rights, Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods, Governance, Peace and Security, Reproductive Health and Rights, HIV/AIDS, and Arts, Culture and Sports.

The highest percentage of grants awarded (34.3%) was in the area of Women’s Human Rights. In this thematic area AWDF prioritized funding work that addresses issues of gender based violence and access to justice including issues of forced marriages, female genital mutilation and domestic violence. Other priorities included building young women’s leadership, movement building, the promotion and protection of women’s rights including land and property rights, and adult literacy for women. Our grantee partners working in this area utilized a variety of methodologies to meet their objectives including training paralegals, setting up monitoring committees, establishing gender clubs, implementing referral mechanisms and enhancing access to justice. Grantee partners also utilized sports, drama, radio, information vans and community/market place campaigns as a tool to disseminate information on Women’s Human Rights.

The breakdown of grants disbursed in other thematic areas were as follows:

Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods – 21%

HIV and AIDS – 19%

Governance, Peace and Security – 13.9%

Reproductive Health and Rights – 6%

Arts, Culture and Sports – 5%

The AWDF offices will be closed from the 20th of December 2012 until the 6th of January 2013.

Please click here to read the ‘End of Year Letter’ from Theo Sowa, CEO of AWDF.

We wish you the best of the festive season.

 

Please click AWDF Activity Report 2011 to download.

Please click 2011 Audited Accounts to download AWDF’s audited accounts report for 2011.

Do you wish to give a gift to AWDF? You can give to AWDF via our sister organisation AWDF-USA by supporting the ‘Mother Africa’ campaign.

For our donors in the USA:

Did you know that if you give to AWDF USA in 2012, you could get a 100% federal tax write-off for your gift?

And did you know that the government might cap charitable donation tax deductions starting in 2013?

There are only a few weeks left in the 2012 Giving Season.

So, don’t delay.

Give today to maximize both the tax benefit and social impact of your AWDF USA donation.

A special “thank you” to those who have already given.

Your donations have had the following impact this year:

• Kept open almost 300 outstanding African women’s nonprofits providing vital services throughout the continent

• Raised awareness of millions throughout the US and Africa about the risks of infant and maternal mortality and how to prevent it

• Convened over 3000 Americans in forums and virtual townhalls throughout the country to learn about and mobilize support for African women innovators, philanthropists and leaders

The time is now! Please give to AWDF USA and our movement to advance African women’s causes and leaders.

Thank you for being our partner for a New Africa.

 

The Executive Board of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is pleased to announce that in January 2013 Professor Sesae Mpuchane will take over as Chair of the Executive Board of AWDF. This follows the completion of two terms in office as Board Chair by Dr. Hilda Tadria, co founder of AWDF. The Board and staff of AWDF offer their sincere thanks to Dr Tadria for her six years of exemplary leadership in that role, and look forward to benefitting from her expertise as an ongoing member of our Executive Board.

 

Professor Sesae Mpuchane has been a member of AWDF’s Executive Board for 3 years, bringing her considerable experience in academia, science and fundraising to the work that AWDF does. She sees her work with AWDF as “an opportunity to be part of a network or movement that is committed to the full empowerment of women through the creation of an enabling environment for positive change” and cites AWDF as “one of the few organisations that scouts or explores for value in women, at all levels, brings that value to the fore and helps to make it grow and flourish. A caring organisation such as the AWDF can bring about much needed change to society”

 

Theo Sowa says, “ It has been my priviledge to work with a committed Executive Board under the leadership of Dr Hilda Tadria. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Dr Tadria and all of AWDF’s Executive Board for their service to the organisation. I am pleased that Professor Sesae Mpuchane has accepted the nomination of her peers to take office as Board Chair. The whole AWDF team look forward to working with her in the service and achievement of African women’s rights”.

 

Click to read Professor Sesae’s bio