Tag: african
AWDF Co-Founder Launches New Blog Above Whispers
AWDF Co-Founder Launches New Blog Above Whispers
AWDF Co-founder Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi has launched a new blog targeted at mature audiences.
Above Whispers is a space “primarily, (but not exclusively) for middle-aged women, and will provide an opportunity for people to engage in discussions about a range of issues such as politics, social justice, development, financial security, women’s rights, health, entrepreneurship, popular culture, faith, parenting and relationships.”
It hopes to offer a unique platform to engage with other people in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Click here to read Bisi’s response to Nigerian writer Olatunji Ololade’s article on African Feminists “Beasts Of No Gender, The Nation.”
Bisi Adeleye- Fayemi, a feminist activist, philanthropist, social entrepreneur and writer, is one of AWDF’s co-founders.
Nigerian Tope Ogun Wins AWDF Women In Film Award
Nigerian Tope Ogun Wins AWDF Women In Film Award
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]Nigerian Director/ Producer Tope Oshin Ogun has won the African Women’s Development Fund’s first African Women in Film Award.
Ogun, an acclaimed director with roots in both Film and Television was given the award at the Golden Movie Awards ceremony held on Saturday June 27 at the State House banquet hall in Accra.
The “AWDF African Women in Film Award,” honours an African woman whose work demonstrates measurable efforts to change the narrative and challenge stereotypes about African women. Tope was chosen for her outspoken voice against domestic abuse in Nigeria, an issue she brilliantly addressed in the 2014 short film New Horizons, a story about four women’s experiences with abuse.
“Being the recipient of AWDF’s first African Woman In Film Award is a true honour for me, and it’s a big surprise to learn that one is recognised and celebrated for being true to oneself and calling and passion and profession, ” Ogun told AWDF.
AWDF conferred the award at the ceremony which was organized by Golden Movie Awards (GMA), a new pan African award scheme that seeks to recognise outstanding work in the African movie industry. AWDF partnered with GMA for its maiden edition as part of its mandate to use arts as tool to promote social justice and to challenge negative stereotypes about women.
As the winner of the award, Ogun will be a lead facilitator in a one- day capacity building programme for African women in the film industry, organized by AWDF and GMA.
Ogun has an expansive portfolio that includes directing 350 episodes of the successful African soap opera “Tinsel”, an award winning feature length film “Journey To Self” and 3 multiple award winning shorts films namely “The Young Smoker”, “Till Death Do Us Part” and “New Horizons.”[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]La réalisatrice/productrice nigériane Tope Oshin Ogun a remporté le Premier Prix de Cinéma des femmes africaines du Fonds Africain de développement de la femme.
Ogun, réalisatrice de renom impliquée à la fois dans le cinéma et la télévision a reçu le prix lors de la cérémonie des Golden Movie Awards tenue le samedi 27 Juin à la State House banquet hall à Accra.
Le “Prix de Cinéma des femmes africaines d’AWDF” honore une femme africaine dont le travail démontre les efforts tangibles pour changer le récit et lutter contre les stéréotypes sur les femmes africaines. Tope a été choisie pour sa voix franche contre la violence domestique au Nigeria, une question qu’elle a brillamment traitée en 2014 dans le court-métrage New Horizons, une histoire sur les expériences de quatre femmes victimes d’abus.
«Être lauréate du Prix de Cinéma des femmes africaines d’AWDF est un véritable honneur pour moi, et c’est une grande surprise d’apprendre que l’on est reconnue et célébrée pour être fidèle à soi-même, sa vocation, sa passion et à la profession,” déclare Ogun à AWDF.
AWDF a décerné ce prix lors de la cérémonie qui a été organisée par Golden Movie Awards (GMA), une académie panafricaine qui vise à reconnaître les travaux remarquable dans l’industrie du cinéma africain. AWDF a collaboré avec GMA pour sa première édition dans le cadre de sa mission, utiliser les arts comme outil pour promouvoir la justice sociale et de combattre les stéréotypes négatifs sur les femmes.
En tant que lauréate, Ogun sera le médiateur principal dans un programme de renforcement des capacités d’une journée pour les femmes africaines dans l’industrie du cinéma, organisé par AWDF et GMA.
Ogun dispose d’un portfolio large dont la direction de 350 épisodes du feuilleton africain “Tinsel”, un long métrage primé “Journey To Self” et plusieurs courts-métrage dont 3 primés à savoir «Le jeune fumeur”, “Till Death Do Us Partie “et” Nouveaux Horizons “.[/tp]
3rd African Grantmakers Network Assembly to be Held in Arusha, Tanzania July 1-3
3rd African Grantmakers Network Assembly to be Held in Arusha, Tanzania July 1-3
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]30th June 2015
PRESS RELEASE
Arusha To Host 3rd African Grantmakers Network Assembly July 1-3, 2015
Activist and humanitarian Graça Machel, Nobel laureate, Leymah Gbowee and HRH Sylvia Nagginda of Buganda will be among keynote speakers and presenters at this year’s African Grantmakers Network (AGN) third General Assembly, which will take place in Arusha, Tanzania at the Arusha International Conference Centre, Arusha.
The meeting will be held from July 1-3, 2015 under the theme: “Philanthropy in Africa 2015 People, Policy and Practice.” It will be hosted by the African Women’s Development Fund and the Foundation for Civil Society (FCS).
The AGN conference will bring together philanthropists, grantmaking bodies and other sectors for a three day meeting during which they will share experiences and good practise in contributions to philanthropy in Africa. Attendees will discuss the contribution made by the wide range of critical constituencies such as women, youth and other marginalised groups, and tackle crucial issues such as the impact of governance on philanthropy.
Theo Sowa, current Chair of AGN said ‘this is one of the platforms AGN has created for renewed and vibrant conversations about philanthropy in Africa, and the AGN board is delighted that at this Assembly at least three new publications on African philanthropy will be launched.’
A major highlight of the Assembly will be the African Philanthropy awards, a recognition given by AGN to individuals and organisations that have contributed to development and philanthropy on the continent.
Founded in 2009, the African Grantmakers Network (AGN) is a continentwide network of African grantmaking organisations that facilitates networking, learning and good practise amongst established and emerging African philanthropic institutions. The AGN promotes the voices of African philanthropy on the continent and globally.
AGN’s first steering committee members were the African Womens’ Development Fund (AWDF), Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) ,TrustAfrica (TA),the Southern Africa Trust (SAT), the Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), and Akiba Uhaki Foundation (AUF). The current board members include the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Community Development Foundation Western Cape in South Africa.
For more information and to see the full programme, visit: www.africangrantmakersnetwork.org
For media enquiries or request for interviews contact:
Joyce Ambale
joyce@fricagrantmakersnetwork.org
+254 705 216 215
or
Amba MpokeBigg
amba@africlub.net/awdf
+255 682 327 082[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]
COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE
Arusha pour Accueillir la 3ème Assemblée du Réseau des subventionneurs africains du 1er au 3 Juillet, 2015
L’activiste et humanitaire Graça Machel, lauréate du prix Nobel, Leymah Gbowee et SAR Sylvia Nagginda du Buganda seront parmi les principaux conférenciers et présentateurs lors de la 3ème Assemblée du Réseau des subventionnaires africains de cette année (AGN), qui aura lieu à Arusha, en Tanzanie au Centre de Conférence International d’Arusha.
La réunion se tiendra à du 1er au 3 Juillet 2015 et portera sur le thème: «La philanthropie en Afrique en 2015: les acteurs, la politique et la pratique.” Il sera accueilli par le Fonds Africain de développement de la femme et la Fondation pour la société civile (FCS).
La conférence réunira des AGN philanthropes, des organismes subventionnaires et d’autres secteurs pour une réunion de trois jours au cours de laquelle ils vont partager expériences et bonnes pratiques des contributions à la philanthropie en Afrique. Les participants discuteront de la contribution apportée par le large éventail de parties prenantes essentielles telles que les femmes, les jeunes et d’autres groupes marginalisés, et d’aborder des questions cruciales telles que l’impact de la gouvernance sur la philanthropie.
Theo Sowa, présidente actuelle de l’AGN déclare:”Ceci est l’une des plates-formes qu’AGN a créé pour renouveler et dynamiser les discutions sur la philanthropie en Afrique, et le conseil d’AGN est ravi qu’au moins trois nouvelles publications sur la philanthropie africaine soient lancées lors de cette Assemblée . ‘
Un des faits marquants de l’Assemblée seront les Prix de Philanthropie Africaine, une reconnaissance accordée par AGN aux individus et aux organisations qui ont contribué au développement et à la philanthropie sur le continent.
Fondé en 2009, le Réseau des subventionaires africains (AGN) est un réseau à l’échelle du continent des organisations subventionnaires africaines, qui facilite le réseautage, l’apprentissage et les bonnes pratiques entre les institutions philanthropiques africaines établies et émergentes. L’AGN favorise les voix de la philanthropie africaine sur le continent et dans le monde.
Les membres du premier comité de direction de l’AGN étaient le Fonds de développement de la Femme Africaine (AWDF), Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF), TrustAfrica (TA), Southern Africa Trust (SAT), la Fondation pour la société civile (FCS), et la Fondation Akiba Uhaki (AUF). Les membres actuels du conseil comprennent le Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Community Development Foundation Western Cape en Afrique du Sud.
Pour plus d’informations et pour voir le programme complet, visitez: www.africangrantmakersnetwork.org
Pour tout renseignement ou demande d’entrevues avec les médias:
Joyce Ambale
joyce@fricagrantmakersnetwork.org
+254 705 216 215
or
Amba MpokeBigg
amba@africlub.net/awdf
+255 682 327 082[/tp]
Happy International Women’s Day!
Happy International Women’s Day!
African Women Writers: Introducing the class of #AWW14
African Women Writers: Introducing the class of #AWW14
In July of this year, AWDF in partnership with the Ugandan Women Writers Association held a 10 day residential writers workshop led by Yewande Omotoso and Mamle Kabu. The workshop brought together 26 African women writers from 10 African countries. During the period, the writers honed skills, learnt new tips and techniques, and perhaps most important of all, committed to amplifying their work and those of other African women writers.
African Women Write (AWW14) is a document which details the writers (including facilitators and the coordinating team) who constitute #AWW14. In case you are wondering what that hashtag means, its the acronym that was coined for ‘African Women Writers’ with 14 representing the year this workshop took place. Find some of our tweets via that hashtag on twitter and check out the storify that HOLAAfrica pulled together from our 10 day frenzy of live tweeting.
By: Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah,
Communications Specialist, AWDF
Podcast: Yewande Omotoso with Ama Ata Aidoo
Podcast: Yewande Omotoso with Ama Ata Aidoo
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]On International Women’s Day this year, the writer Yewande Omotoso led a writer’s masterclass at AWDF House with internationally acclaimed writer Ama Ata Aidoo as our special guest. Using excerpts from Ama’s talk with the participants, Yewande has created this podcast which we love and is a useful resource for writers and creative people everywhere.[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Lors de la Journée internationale de la femme cette année, l’écrivain Yewande Omotoso a dirigé la masterclass d’écriture à la Maison AWDF avec l’écrivain de renommée internationale Ama Ata Aidoo qui était notre invitée spéciale. En utilisant des extraits de discours de Ama avec les participants, Yewande a créé ce podcast que nous aimons et qui est une ressource utile pour les écrivains et les gens créatifs partout dans le monde.[/tp]
Reflections on AWDF’s 3rd CEO Forum by Zukisiwa Wanner
Reflections on AWDF’s 3rd CEO Forum by Zukisiwa Wanner
I spent the first three days of this week attending the African Women’s Development Fund’s (AWDF) third Chief Executive Officer’s Forum at the Crowne Plaza Hotel here in Nairobi. The CEO Forum brings together leaders in women’s organizations that work with AWDF.
I admit it, I had no idea what to expect. Yes I had received the program in advance. Yes, I’ve heard of many of the women previously. Maybe even worked with one or two of their organisations. And yes, like me all of these women are African feminists. But but but…there was also a key difference. I am self-employed and in a very practical way, whatever actions I take regarding my advocacy on women’s issues is my own decision and often affects only me. These women, leaders in their own organizations, take actions that impact other women in ways I could never even begin to do.
I knew that I would meet a woman who is pushing to get more African stories by African writers for African children on the continent – my younger sister Deborah Ahenkorah of Golden Baobab.
I had Googled the women training women in politics and those looking out for the rights of young women too often under threat from patriarchy through forced marriages and payment of fines to parents (mostly fathers) where girls have been raped instead of prosecution – Mawusi Awity, Amy Oyekunle, Yvette Kathurima.
I would meet the amazing food microbiologist and retired Dean of Science from the University of Botswana who I planned to ambush to become my son’s newly adopted grandmother, Professor Sesae Mpuchane who is also the Chair of the AWDF Board.
And the legends in Afro feminist circles – Mary Rusimbi, Sarah Mukasa and Hope Chigudu (I knew these three as being part of the team that gave us the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists but had never met them) and the Ugandan Woman Achiever 2013,the incorrigible and lovable Dr. Hilda Tadria.
Then too, I would meet the women behind my meeting these other fantastic women, the AWDF team consisting of the soft-spoken but uncompromising (on feminist issues) Theo Sowa, convenor of all these amazing women Nafi Chinery, well-known Afro-sexuality blogger Nana Darkoa, and of course the aforementioned Sarah Mukasa.
My leadership, if I can be said to have any, is different from any of the women above and consists of much navel-gazing and compliment seeking on whether a word or phrase sounds right and yet, in the three days I never had a single moment of being an outsider looking in. It was amazing listening, learning, laughing, crying, comforting, sharing with all of them. Through being with them, I learnt some very important things that I should have known but did not know. I learnt that whatever successes one makes of whatever they are doing is not very useful if it isn’t communicated to the people who should know about it. As an example, we can set up mentorship programs for young women or set up a centre for abused women, a workshop for women writers but if we do not communicate the message to the people who it’s set out for; to the public among whom may be a sympathetic audience that may help out when needed then there is a degree of failure. And yes, too often while self-identifying as a feminist and talking of a feminist cause on this continent often leads to a hostile media within, there are ways to counter the hostility through proper messaging.
Equally important, I learnt that being a ‘strong African woman’ at the expense of my well-being is counter-revolutionary to the feminist movement. I learnt that it is okay to admit being tired. To ask for help and admit that I cannot do it all and most importantly, I am under no obligation to do it all. To quote Hope Chigudu, “after all, what are human rights if we are fragmented, have no support and are unhappy?”
On Monday 2nd June 2014, I went into a room full of strangers, and left having met some people I know will be lifelong friends. And for those whose paths may not cross with mine again (why ever not?), I leave having learnt valuable lessons from each and every one. A major reason for this was that the group was small enough that in the course of the three days I got to chat with each of the women and found echoes of myself in many of them. As I reflect on the three days spent with the women I met at the CEO Forum, I happily admit that whatever it is I expected, what I experienced was beyond my expectation. If the coaching that many of these women will undertake in the next ten months is as successful as the three days I spent with them, the future of African women leadership and the African feminist movement is in good hands. Best wishes to the CEOs and Executive Directors taking part in the 10 month coaching program as a follow up to this forum on leadership, governance and communications.
By: Zukisiwa Wanner
Zukisiwa Wanner is a writer who was most recently recognised “…as one of the top 39 sub-Saharan African novelists under 40 writing in English, French, Portuguese or an African language.” Check out her blog
The 3rd Chief Executive Officers Forum (CEO Forum)
The 3rd Chief Executive Officers Forum (CEO Forum)
The CEO Forum forms part of AWDF’s commitment to strengthening the leadership of women’s organisations in Africa. It is a biennial event that provides a safe space for the leadership of women’s organisations to discuss strategic leadership issues, share experiences and build skills that will support their personal and organisational development. It is a safe creative space, imbued with feminist values, for renewing energy and spirit.
The (3rd) Chief Executive Officer’s Forum will be held from 2- 4 June 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya and will focus on the theme, ‘Leadership, Governance & Communication for CEO’s and Executive Directors from African women’s organisations’.
The forum was set up with two key objectives:
- To create safe spaces for the leadership of women’s organisations to share challenges and ideas within the current global context with their peers and collectively develop strategies for addressing these
- To create a platform for the leadership of women’s organisations to discuss challenges around leadership, management and governance issues facing women’s organisations in Africa and how to promote these for development.
These objectives do not end with Nairobi. As part of its core mandate, AWDF has committed itself to efforts that seek to enable and strengthen African women’s organisations and their leadership to contribute to wider development goals and especially those around women’s development. Therefore, as part of its leadership support, AWDF is offering a ten month coaching support to ten Africa women leaders from AWDF grantee organisations in leadership and communication. This coaching is not about teaching, it’s about walking and thinking alongside leaders and supporting them into being transformational in their leadership capacity.
Please see PDF below for bios of the leaders undertaking the coaching programme.
Profiles of 10 leaders to be coached over 10 Months (final)
By: Nafi Chinery, Capacity Building Specialist, AWDF
African Women who Rock: Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama
African Women who Rock: Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]I was delighted to be able to interview Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama yesterday at AWDF House about her philanthropic work. This was a special delight because Hati and I go way back. We were classmates in St Mary’s Secondary School, Ghana, and I started the started the interview by asking,
‘How did you go from Hati Mahama as we called you in school to Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama?’
Well Hati has grown into her own. Back in our teenage years she did not identify as strongly with her given name but now she recognises her full name as the powerful symbol of identity and representation that it is. In her own words, ‘you can tell where I come from when I mention my full name‘.
Here are 5 reasons why Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama is an African woman who rocks:
- She has established a foundation which in 4 years has built 3 fully functional schools (equipped with libraries) in the Northern region of Ghana.
- She fosters 6 children ranging in ages from 5-30 and hopes to add more members to her growing family.
- She is an adventurer and has scaled the Great Wall of China, visited the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, heard the roar of the Niagara Falls, bungee jumped over Auckland Harbour Bridge, and taken a bus ride from West Africa through to North Africa.
- An avid cyclist, she raised money to fund the building of a school by cycling from Accra to Tamale, a journey of 650km in 6 days.
- She has published her autobiography, ‘The Mad Duck’.
Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama, you rock![/tp]
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]J’ai été ravie de pouvoir interviewer la princesse Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama hier à la maison d’AWDF au sujet de son travail philanthropique. Ce fut un plaisir spécial parce qu’Hati et moi rentrons ensemble. Nous étions camarades de classe à l’école secondaire St Mary, au Ghana, et j’ai commencé l’interview en demandant,
«Comment êtes vous passée de Hati Mahama, nom que nous vous donnions à l’école à princesse Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama?
Eh bien Hati est devenue elle même. Retour à nos années d’adolescence, elle n’avait pas identifié aussi nettement son prénom, mais maintenant, elle reconnaît son nom complet comme un symbole puissant de son identité et de représentation. De son propre aveu, “vous pouvez dire d’où je viens quand je mentionne mon nom complet.
Voici 5 raisons pour lesquelles la princesse Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama est une femme africaine qui déchire:
- Elle a créé une fondation qui a construit en 4 ans 3 écoles entièrement fonctionnelles (équipées avec des bibliothèques) dans la région du Nord du Ghana.
- Elle a accueil 6 enfants de 5 à 30 et espère ajouter d’autres membres à sa famille grandissante.
- C’est aventurière qui a escaladé la Grande Muraille de Chine, a visité la mosquée du Sultan Ahmed, a entendu le grondement des chutes du Niagara, a sauté à l’élastique depuis Auckland Harbour Bridge, et pris un bus en provenance d’Afrique de l’Ouest à travers l’Afrique du Nord.
- Cycliste passionnée, elle a recueilli des fonds pour financer la construction d’une école, à vélo d’Accra à Tamale, un voyage de 650 km en 6 jours.
- Elle a publié son autobiographie, ‘The Mad Duck”.
‘Princess Umul Hatiyaa Ibrahim Mahama, you rock!'[/tp]
22 African Women Writers selected by the African Women’s Development Fund to Participate in a Creative Non Fiction Writers Workshop
22 African Women Writers selected by the African Women’s Development Fund to Participate in a Creative Non Fiction Writers Workshop
The African Women’s Development Fund, (AWDF) is pleased to announce that after a competitive application process, 22 African women writers have been selected to take part in its first creative non-fiction writer’s workshop. This is the first of a series of workshops intended to give African women writers the space, time and enhanced skills to write in compelling ways about a range of social, economic and political issues of concern.This event is being organized in collaboration with the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE) from 21st-31st July in Kampala, Uganda. The lead facilitators for this workshop are award winning writers Mamle Kabu and Yewande Omotoso.
The successful applicants are as follows:
Abena Kyere – Ghana
Adegbeye Olutimehin – Nigeria
Alexis Teyie – Kenya
Amina Doherty – Nigeria
Beatrice Lamwaka – Uganda
Chinelo Sylvia Onwualu – Nigeria
Comfort Mussa – Cameroon
Deborah Frempong – Ghana
Eunice Kilonzo – Kenya
Fafa Yvonne Quashigah – Ghana
Florence Khaxas – Namibia
Fungai Rufaro Machirori – Zimbabwe
Hannah Wanja Maina – Kenya
Jennifer Thorpe – South Africa
Kagure Mugo – South Africa/Kenya
Kechi Nomu – Nigeria
Moiyattu Banya – Sierra Leone
Njoki Wamai – Kenya
Rita Nketiah – Ghana
Ritah Atwongyeire – Uganda
Tendai Garwe – Zimbabwe
Valérie Dginia Bah – Benin/Haiti
AWDF’s creative non-fiction workshop aims to support African women writers who seek to use the power of the written word to highlight issues around women’s rights and social justice. Theo Sowa, AWDF’s CEO states, “We know that as African women, we are in the best position to tell the world our multiple, diverse stories and yet those stories continue to be told predominantly by others. So we are delighted to have such a diverse and talented group of African women writers taking part in our very first writers’ workshop and intend to facilitate relationships between these writers and media outlets all over the world in order to amplify the voices of African women.”
This workshop has been made possible through the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.