Tag: AWDF

“African Women and Political Participation”

Lecture by

H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

President of the Republic of Liberia

On the Occasion of the 10^th Anniversary

Of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)

Accra, Ghana, Friday, November 12, 2010

Madam Chair, Madam Executive Director;

Your Excellency Madam Vice President of the Republic of Malawi;

The Board of Directors, Officers and Members of the AWDF;

Ministers, Officials of Government;

Members of Parliament;

Members of the Diplomatic Corps;

Donors, Grant Beneficiaries;

Distinguished Guests;

My African Sisters;

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

Heartfelt congratulations to you, AWDF Sisters, on reaching your tenth year! You have succeeded in your goals; you have weathered the global economic crisis; you have demonstrated resilience and determination to succeed in your noble cause to promote leadership and empowerment for African women.

When Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi invited me, almost a year ago, to be a part of the AWDF’s 10^th Anniversary Celebration, she knew that by asking me so far in advance I could not say no, although I was not sure what my schedule would be a whole year away. I agreed, and we duly blocked the dates ensuring that whatever events came before or after November 12^th and 13^th had to give way to my AWDF commitment.

This was a typical Bisi foresight – the same foresight that led her, and colleagues Joanna Foster and Hilda Tadria, to establish the AWDF 10 years ago. Today we can boast of an organization that has funded numerous initiatives to promote African women’s leadership and empowerment here in Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Swaziland, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe, and many, many more since its founding.

Liberia particularly applauds the AWDF for the role they have played in promoting the welfare of women in our country. The establishment and support of the Sirleaf Market Women Fund has brought together some 12 partners with funding close to $2 million for the construction and renovation of 13 markets throughout the country. This does not include perhaps the first of its kind, the $500,000 donated by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for the construction of the Omega Market, which is expected to assist more than 7,000 market women. Bisi, Hilda and Thelma (a former Board Chair), Joanna you played a large role in all of this, a big thank you.

AWDF also played an essential role, as “Theme Lead,” in the preparatory phase of the March 2009 International Women’s Colloquium in Monrovia which brought together some 1,100 women from 54 countries to join some 900 local women in a parallel session. The AWDF was responsible for driving the process for empowering women to be more effective leaders by linking with their peers around the world.

The legacy of that 2009 Colloquium was the establishment of the Angie Brooks International Centre (ABIC) at the University of Liberia campus near Monrovia, which will serve as the implementation mechanism for the Colloquium’s program of work. It will also extend its reach to the Madam Suakoko Center at Cuttington University in rural Liberia. The Center, still in its infancy, has benefited much from AWDF funding and expertise. On behalf of the scores of women who will come to the ABIC to engage in training, research, analysis, partnership, networking and advocacy, and profit from the experiences of others, we express profound thanks to the AWDF.

Certainly with this backdrop of how Liberia has benefitted , I can do no less than to be here today to declare what a singular honor it is for me to deliver a lecture commemorating AWDF’s 10^th anniversary. Any organization with a vision to better and transform the lives of people – most especially African women – is deserving of staunch and unswerving support. I am also proud to be a part of the launching of the Hawa Yakubu Memorial Fund. She was very good to us during the campaign. To the family of Hawa Yakubu, let me say how grateful I am for the role she played in my success. [applause]

To the host city, Accra, let me confess that I always welcome the occasion to visit Ghana – a country that sets the standard as a role model of success for Africa in so many ways, and which has been, and remains, a refuge for so many Liberians. Thank you, Ghana, for your gracious hospitality and warmth, and for the wonderful reception we always receive whenever we are in this country. [applause]

AFRICAN WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

Dear Sisters; Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

The topic of today’s Seminar, “African Women and Political Participation,” is one on which I can speak with some authority – as an African, as a woman, and as a politician.

Every woman here knows, or has experienced, the difficulty in bringing women into the fold of political participation across our continent – from the grassroots up to the highest office in the land.

You are here this evening because you believe that women’s full political participation can and must happen, not only in Rwanda, South Africa or Mozambique, but in all corners of this vast continent that is our home. In overcoming the multiple challenges which we as African women confront, it is vital that there be trailblazers such as the AWDF which are striving determinedly for all our women to be empowered.

We are seeing progress in African women’s participation in politics, no doubt, although not at the levels we demand. The job of full equality and total empowerment is incomplete. Let us remember that in the fight to empower women, we can accept no frontiers, only breakthroughs. [applause]

Governance cuts across all spheres of representation and decision-making, from the community to national levels. Full political participation will become a reality for us, as women, when quotas and set-asides become a relic of the past; when our access in participatory institutions at all levels is considered a right; and when we no longer feel compelled to wage campaigns and stage protests in order to have a say in the decisions that affect our lives – be it at the peace table or in the political and economic arenas.

There is power in numbers. The lone female voices one encounters in political circles, including in Africa, are insufficient to effect the changes that are so important to women. As a tiny minority in governance, women could be subjected to pressures, and their capacities as representatives, policy makers and decision takers are constrained by their numbers. We still need those numbers in critical mass to make those decisions and make them stick. In such low numbers, and with insufficient clout, women ministers tend to be relegated to, and concentrated in, social areas rather than legal, economic, political and technical functions of government.

It goes without saying that when women are represented in critical numbers in parliaments, as well as at the grassroots level, their perspectives and interests will be taken into account and their concerns given higher priority. Greater political participation will also allow women to make a meaningful impact on democracy, and to sustain the effort for the empowerment and representation of women.

A GLOBAL OVERVIEW

Dear Friends: The low political participation by women is not limited to Africa; it is global, with the Nordic countries being among the notable exceptions.

Today, out of 192 United Nations Member States, there are only 18 women, either elected or appointed in the highest positions of government. That figure inched up by one with the election, just last week, of Dilma Rousseff as the first female Head of State of Brazil. [applause] When she takes office in January 2011, she will preside over the largest country in Latin America, with a population of over 192 million, 45 percent of which are people of African descent. We welcome her to our tiny circle. [laughter]

Globally, women’s representation in parliaments stands at 18.2 percent – the highest it has ever been, but still not high enough. Today only 22 countries have achieved a critical mass of 30 percent or higher women representation in their national parliaments, mainly as a result of constitutional quotas written into law and requiring that a certain percentage of political positions be occupied by women.

Of that number, six are African countries: Burundi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. These countries succeeded because they recognized the importance of equity between women and men in decision-making and they instituted changes in their electoral and parliamentary processes.

The world applauds Rwanda as having the highest number of women parliamentarians, at 56.3 percent, followed by Sweden, at 47 percent. Rwanda succeeded by implementing a gender quota system. With a population of 70 percent female following the 1994 genocide, women had to assume traditional male roles. Able, finally, to participate in the drafting of a new constitution and new legislative structures, they pushed for greater equality in politics through such initiatives as a constitutional quota and election law quotas to ensure women’s place at the political table. Rwanda serves as a case study, an example for other countries seeking a more equal representation of women in politics.

Let us also recognize South Africa, which leapt from 17^th to 3^rd place, behind Rwanda and Sweden, in the global ranking. That country has experienced an 11 percent increase in women’s political representation, from 34 percent to 45 percent. Prior to democratic elections held there in 1994, there were only 2.7 percent of women in the South African Parliament; the figure increased to 27 percent following the elections and has been growing ever since. We applaud the enlightened male leaders who played key roles in this success.

My country, Liberia, is a strong advocate of the seminal UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, which seeks greater representation of women at all decision-making levels in politics and in crisis management activities. We are only at 12 percent – the highest it has ever been in Liberia – yet far below an acceptable percentage of women in our National Legislature or in other leadership areas.

Women’s groups are pressuring for 30 percent political representation. The Gender Equity in Politics Act 2010, sponsored by the Women Legislative Caucus, is now before the Legislature. It calls for no less than 30 percent representation of women in national elected offices and political parties. As you may well imagine, the proposed legislation is facing serious challenges from a male-dominated Legislature, whose members argue that competition, rather than gender, should be the criterion for representation. Since there is no mutual exclusivity here, you can be assured that our women are neither defeated nor are they backing down, and we will continue to push until this necessary objective is achieved.

The number of women in our Cabinet, our National Legislature and the Judiciary continues to increase; not as fast as we want, but in significant enough numbers so that progress is measurable and noticeable.

You may have heard, or read, that a week ago I created a bit of turbulence when I placed my entire Cabinet on administrative leave, including the six female Ministers who held strategic positions at the Justice, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce, Gender and Development, and Youth and Sports Ministries. Let me put on record that our women Ministers have been effective and transparent in leadership, and I have no doubt that the majority – all of them dynamic, hard-working, imbued with integrity, and wholly committed to our development agenda – and you can be sure they will continue their invaluable service to our country. [applause]

At the local governmental level, our women are visible, with 40 percent representation. Women serve as superintendents in 6 of our 15 counties; as mayors of cities, including our capital, Monrovia; as heads of public corporations, including the National Port Authority, the gateway to our nation’s economy. Junior Ministers across sectors account for more than 30 percent of women in our government.

In recognition of our efforts to empower, support, and protect women in our society, including the implementation of Liberia’s National Plan of Action on Resolution 1325 – one of the first to be concluded in Africa –Liberia was named the winner of this year’s prestigious Millennium Development Goal Three Award. [applause] We owe that to all of you who have been a part of our success. We were recognized for outstanding leadership, commitment and progress toward the achievement of MDG-3 through the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment across the country.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION: THE 1990s AND BEYOND

The gains in women’s political participation in Africa did not happen overnight; they have been earned over decades by Sisters who dared to challenge the status quo. Prior to the 1990s, it was unthinkable – in my country, for sure – that a woman could run for the presidency in Africa. In 1997, I challenged that stereotype and ran for President of Liberia. I lost, bested by a well-financed military machine. I ran again in 2003 for Chairman of the Interim Government right here in Accra during the peace talks. Although I received the highest vote from the participating civilian groups, the warring factions with regional backing placed the leadership in others hands, in retrospect, a blessing in disguise. Undeterred, I ran for President again in 2005, and this time the outcome was in my favor.

I am proud to be the first democratically elected female President in Africa. [applause] It is my fervent hope, and prayer, that what I accomplished will not be a one-off; that a woman running for President in Africa will become the norm, not the exception, for many more women across our continent. [applause]

I continue to be encouraged by the women with whom I interact across Africa. They see in my presidency a validation of something they have always believed, that “It is possible. We can make it happen.” You in this room have to work to make it happen. It is my great privilege to be a source of inspiration to you, the women of Africa, with aspirations to occupy the highest political positions in the land.

Other African women have dared to run for the highest office in their countries since my first attempt. Charity Ngilu and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai ran in Kenya’s 1998 presidential election, and Ngilu ran again in 2002; Tanzania, Sierra Leone and more recently Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire have seen women compete. Dr. Sarah Jibril of Nigeria, for the fifth time, has thrown her hat into the race for the upcoming 2011 presidential elections. Despite their unsuccessful bids, these women, undaunted, set important precedents and several have assumed other important leadership roles. We have one right here with us today, the Vice President of Malawi. Africa needs more daring women to step forward. [applause]

Prior to the 1990s, the only female African Heads of State got there by virtue of being royalty – Zauditu, Empress of Ethiopia, who ruled between 1917 and 1930; and two who served for brief periods as Queen-regents of Swaziland in the 1980s. Africa’s first female Prime Minister was Elizabeth Domitien of the Central African Republic, who served in the 1970s.

In the 1990s, African women claimed national leadership visibility in noticeable numbers. Liberia’s Ruth Perry served on the six-member collective presidency, chairing the Council of State between 1996 and 1997. Uganda’s Wandera Specioza Kazibwe became the first female Vice President in 1994. From 1993 to 1994, women served as Prime Ministers of Burundi and of Rwanda, while Senegal claimed a female Vice President in 2001. Gambia continues to have a very active female Vice President and in like mode is our dear Sister from Malawi who is here with us today. Countries in East and Southern Africa have also had women as Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament.

Africa, which had the lowest female participation in politics in the 1960s, is today seeing the fastest rates of growth of women in politics. A comparative analysis with other parts of the world would conclude that some African countries are doing relatively well, although none come close to proportionately representing women – Rwanda, again, being the exception. Women have made important strides in terms of political participation and their rise to top-level economic and political management portfolios, but there is still a huge gender gap worldwide, and a long way to go before women can be treated as full equals and partners to their male counterparts.

At the same time, we are seeing the growth of groups that campaign for women’s political leadership, press for legislative and constitutional changes, and conduct civic education. This divergence commenced in the 1990s when women began to form their own political parties because existing ones in the multiparty context did not adequately address women’s concerns. Women founded the National Party in Zambia in 1991, the Zimbabwe Union of Democrats in 1999, Kopanang Basotho in Lesotho, as well as women-led parties in Kenya, the Central African Republic, and in Angola.

Let me recall some of the factors that account for African women’s new visibility in the political arena as independent actors:

Ø The move towards multi-party politics which lessened the need for mass organizations linked to and directed by a single ruling party;

Ø Increased educational opportunities for girls and women which created a larger pool of capable women who were positioned to vie for political power;

Ø An increasing number of women experienced in creating and sustaining associations and social and economic networks;

Ø The availability of donor funds, channeled through international and local NGOs like the AWDF, religious groups, and foundations, which spurred the growth of national-level organizations that support women’s participation in civic education, constitutional and legislative reform, leadership training and programs for women parliamentarians; and

Ø Stronger commitment to women’s increased representation by a country’s leadership, especially ones with female Heads of State.

The emergence of these independent associations means that for the first time many women’s movements could select their own leaders and set their own agendas.

CHALLENGES IN THE POLITICAL ARENA

Despite the advances I have cited, women have yet to see enormous payoffs in being elected into office and receiving political appointments. An important reason is that women often lack the resources, political experience, education and political connections to run for office. Popular perceptions are that a woman’s place is in the home, and in the kitchen, rather than in politics and corporate boardrooms. Cultural attitudes which constrain women’s involvement in politics persist among men and women. These are oftentimes reflected in voting patterns, media coverage of female politicians, as well as attempts to suppress women’s assertion of their political rights and views.

Such attitudes are not helped by the fact that women themselves are many times reluctant to run for office, stemming from cultural prohibitions on women being seen and speaking in public in front of men or challenge them. Where these prohibitions are strong, men do not listen to women who take the podium or are active in politics.

Campaigning and being a leader often involves travel and time away from home, all of which put women politicians at risk and at a disadvantage due to gender bias. Would-be female politicians may find themselves and their families under attack or the subject of malicious gossip. Some husbands forbid their wives from engaging in politics, fearing that they will interact with other men [laugh], or worrying that their spouse’s political preoccupations will divert her attention from the home.

How, then, can we address and overcome the hurdles placed in women’s path towards political participation and representation? It is one thing to legislate that women be represented at all decision-making levels; it is quite another to change the attitudes and mind-set of those who would obstruct that access. With men making up the other half of the world’s 6.8 billion people, it is imperative that we reach out to them if we are to succeed in our overall goals and objectives. We have to work harder.

Together with efforts to persuade men of the need to allow women political space and access, grassroots action is also essential in order to groom future women political leaders. That will require advocates to: develop rosters of viable female candidates to participate fully in the political arena; encourage women to register to vote and educate them about the electoral processes; teach female aspirants how to run effective campaigns; and enhance their leadership capacity. Female aspirants will also require training in how to seek elective offices, to articulate the issues, and how to acquire funding in order to run successful campaigns. Unless we can train and prepare women to compete for political office at all levels, their representation and participation in political bodies will remain low until such time that legislation setting gender quotas are enacted into law.

AFRICA’S FUTURE: ITS WOMEN

Africa faces many challenges, all of them highlighted in the Millennium Development Goals – poverty, high illiteracy, sexual violence, high infant and maternal mortality rates, HIV/AIDS, the effects of climate change, and a litany of other woes. In such a landscape, let us not make the mistake of not harnessing the potential of one-half of Africa’s population – its women.

Africa’s history is replete with incidences of the marginalization and exclusion of women. That history likewise shows the incredible potential of women to persevere, to lead, to resolve conflict, and to move a country from chaos onto the path of social and economic development.

I can recall in Liberia’s own experience that it was the women, notably the Mano River Women Peace Network (MARWOPNET), the Liberia Women Initiative, among others, who labored and advocated for peace. I pledged, upon assuming office, that my Administration would endeavor to give Liberian women prominence in all affairs of our country; to empower them in all areas of our national life; to support and expand the laws to restore women’s dignity and deal drastically with crimes that dehumanized them; to encourage families to educate the girl child; and to provide programs to enable our women to participate in our nation’s economic revitalization.

To ensure that in the Liberia of tomorrow, women will have full equality with men, special focus is being directed at educating, capacitating and empowering girls and young women who, despite certain gains, continue to lag behind the men in access to education, resources and opportunities. The glaring reality, in Liberia and elsewhere, is that, from the beginning of their lives, female children get less attention, less education, less of everything. Girls’ education and, in some places, girls’ lives, are treated as less valuable, thereby establishing a pattern that constrains women their entire lives, affecting their ability to make decisions at all levels of their societies.

We are therefore training our people to understand the vitality of girls’ education, to appreciate that when you educate a girl, you educate a family, a nation. At the same time, we are emphasizing the important role that can be played by women in the informal sector, those who sweat and blood keep our economy vibrant in difficult times. Literacy and skills training for our market and grass-roots women are a must for women advancement.

I think it is prophetic that, less than a week after a speech in the United States about “Africa and Its Place in the World,” I am here discussing a related topic. I told the audience in Richmond, Virginia, that despite significant gains, much remains to be done about the place of women in African society, and that Africa’s future as an engine of global economic growth will be directly linked to the status of women on the continent. [applause] For in the long run, Ladies and Gentlemen, this continent will rise when women take roles as educated and equal partners in society. There is no doubt in my mind that women are the future of Africa, and its leaders must invest in women’s development, if they want their country, and our continent, to advance in the 21^st century and beyond.

At my Inaugural, in January 2006, I addressed the women of Africa, Sisters all. I said, then, that I am one of you; that I know what you go through daily, confronting tremendous odds, for I have been there. I feel your enormous support in all that I am endeavoring to achieve, and I am keenly sensitive of your expectations from me. I promised not to disappoint you, not to let you down. I trust that I am keeping that promise.

I feel honored, to stand here, not only as a woman leader and representative of the people of Liberia, but also of women throughout Africa and the world, in our just and determined struggle to play a more prominent role in society.

I see myself as representing the aspirations and expectations of women everywhere. My success is your success, as it opens the door even wider to many other women who will step up. As women, there is a commonality in what we go through. For no matter where we come from, there is still a measure of discrimination to overcome because of our gender. It is imperative that we work together, and pull together, and be supportive of each other, in order to strengthen and uplift women everywhere.

Finally, let me again congratulate the African Women’s Development Fund for reaching this milestone. I urge the many donors to continue their financial and in-kind support, and call upon the beneficiaries of these grants to ensure that they are well spent.

I thank you.

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

THE AFRICAN WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT FUND (AWDF) LAUNCHES A SOUTHERN AFRICAN SATELLITE OFFICE

On the 7^th of October 2010, Madam Graca Machel will launch the Southern African satellite office of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) at The Rosebank Crown Plaza Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa. AWDF’s Guest of Honour for the occasion will be Her Excellency Joyce Banda, Vice President of Malawi.

AWDF has grown phenomenally in its 10-year history of grant-making, technical assistance and capacity building to African women’s rights organizations. In order to further strengthen its support to women’s rights organizations, AWDF will be establishing satellite offices with the first satellite office based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Southern African satellite office seeks to support and strengthen the work of grantee partners in the sub-region and contribute to strengthening the women’s movement as a whole. AWDF’s Head Office will remain in Accra, Ghana. Ahead of the official launch of the Southern African office, AWDF will hold a convening with its grantees and development partners in Southern Africa to strategise on achievements, challenges, and future work required to develop women’s rights organizations and the women’s movement in the Southern African sub-region. This convening will inform the strategic work to be undertaken by AWDF ‘s satellite office.

According to AWDF’s Executive Director, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, ‘AWDF is pleased to announce the imminent launch of its Southern African satellite office. I am also pleased to introduce the AWDF Southern African board members who are Professor Sesae Felicity Mpuchane, Patricia Nozipho January Bardill, Namane Mileah Maga Magau, Angie Makwetla, Tina Thiart, Dr Hilda Tadria, Joana Foster, Yvonne Mhinga and Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi. Together we look forward to supporting the work of African women’s rights organizations in Southern Africa’

ENDS

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national and regional organizations in Africa working towards women’s empowerment. AWDF through institutional capacity building and program development seeks to build a culture of learning and partnerships within the African women’s movement.

The vision of AWDF is for African women to live in a world in which there is social justice, equality and respect for women’s human rights. To this end, our mission is to mobilize financial resources to support local, national and regional initiatives led by women, which will lead to the achievement of this vision.

 

Press Enquiries

 

South Africa

Myesha Jenkins (AWDF Southern Africa Consultant)

Tel: + 27 827 648 208

Email: myeshaj@mweb.co.za

Website: www.africlub.net/awdf

Ghana

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah (Programme Officer for Communications)

Tel: +233 302 521 257

Email: nana@africlub.net/awdf

Website: www.africlub.net/awdf[/tp]

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE

Pour diffusion immédiate

Le Fonds Africain de Développement de la Femme (AWDF) LANCE UN BUREAU SATELLITE en AFRIQUE AUSTRALE

Le 7 Octobre 2010, Madame Graca Machel lancera le bureau satellite de l’Afrique australe du Fonds de développement des femmes africaines (AWDF) à The Rosebank Hôtel Crown Plaza, Johannesburg, Afrique du Sud. L’invité de AWDF d’honneur pour l’occasion sera Son Excellence Joyce Banda, vice-président du Malawi.

AWDF a connu une croissance phénoménale dans son histoire de 10 ans de l’octroi de subventions, d’assistance technique et de renforcement des capacités pour les organisations de femmes africaines de l’homme. Afin de renforcer encore son soutien aux organisations des droits des femmes, AWDF sera la création de bureaux satellites avec le premier bureau satellite basée à Johannesburg, Afrique du Sud. Le bureau satellite de l’Afrique australe vise à soutenir et renforcer le travail des partenaires bénéficiaires de subventions dans la sous-région et de contribuer à renforcer le mouvement des femmes dans son ensemble. Siège de AWDF restera à Accra, au Ghana. Avant le lancement officiel de l’Office de l’Afrique australe, AWDF tiendra une convocation avec ses bénéficiaires et les partenaires de développement de l’Afrique australe à élaborer des stratégies sur les réalisations, les défis et les travaux futurs nécessaires pour développer les organisations des droits des femmes et le mouvement des femmes de la sous de l’Afrique australe -région. Cette convocation informera le travail stratégique à entreprendre par bureau satellite de l ‘AWDF.

Selon le directeur exécutif de l’AWDF, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, ‘AWDF est heureux d’annoncer le lancement imminent de son bureau satellite de l’Afrique australe. Je suis également heureux de vous présenter les membres de l’Afrique australe AWDF du conseil qui sont le professeur Sesae Felicity Mpuchane, Patricia Nozipho Janvier Bardill, Namane Mileah Maga Magau, Angie Makwetla, Tina Thiart, Dr Hilda Tadria, Joana Foster, Yvonne Mhinga et Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi. Ensemble, nous sommes impatients de soutenir le travail des organisations de femmes africaines de l’homme en Afrique australe ‘

ENDS

Le Fonds de développement des femmes africaines (AWDF) est une fondation d’octroi de subventions qui soutient des organisations locales, nationales et régionales en Afrique travaillent à l’autonomisation des femmes. AWDF à travers le renforcement des capacités institutionnelles et le développement de programme vise à construire une culture de l’apprentissage et des partenariats au sein du mouvement des femmes africaines.

La vision de AWDF est pour les femmes africaines de vivre dans un monde dans lequel il ya la justice sociale, l’égalité et le respect des droits humains des femmes. À cette fin, notre mission est de mobiliser des ressources financières pour soutenir les initiatives locales, nationales et régionales dirigées par des femmes, ce qui mènera à la réalisation de cette vision.

 

Demandes de la presse

Afrique du Sud

Myesha Jenkins (AWDF Southern Africa Consultant)

Tel: + 27 827 648 208

Email: myeshaj@mweb.co.za

Website: www.africlub.net/awdf

Ghana

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah (Programme Officer for Communications)

Tel: +233 302 521 257

Email: nana@africlub.net/awdf

Website: www.africlub.net/awdf[/tp]

A two-member team from AWDF and a documentary crew were in Liberia from the 3^rd of August to the 7^th of August to document the work and impact of AWDF in Liberia. In all the activities of 7 organisations and the testimonies of three women leaders in Liberia were recorded. The three women leaders included her Excellency President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Hon Varbah Gayflor, Minister of Gender and Development, Liberia and Hon Olubanke King-Akerele, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Liberia. Beneficiaries of the various projects also testified about the impact of AWDF’s grant-making, technical assistance and capacity building.

Some Outcomes

All grantees and personalities interviewed spoke about the uniqueness and the relevance of the work of AWDF. The results of AWDF’s funding and capacity building activities were evident in all the organizations visited.

– AWDF supported the active participation of women in the peace negotiations of the various warring factions and stakeholders during the conflict in Liberia

– AWDF have supported the building of women’s leadership skills for effective involvement in the reconstruction efforts in Liberia

– Young women have been trained and are being mentored to take up leadership positions in Liberia. These young women are also equipped to help build and maintain peace in their communities. One of the young leaders who graduated from WIPSEN’s young women’s leadership programme is presently the first deputy speaker of the Liberia Children’s Parliament

– AWDF has strengthened the organisational capacity of some women’s initiatives to provide critical services to the populace especially women living in deprived areas outside the capital, Monrovia. Services rendered include vocational training in hairdressing, dressmaking, catering and computer skills. Some beneficiaries also received micro finance and are presently running vibrant businesses that are catering for their needs and the needs of their families. These interventions have brought hope and joy to families especially children who can now benefit from proper growth and education. Many of these young women who benefit from these interventions are teenage mothers with no education or skills, many would have joined the teeming population of idle young people with no idea of what they can do with their lives.

– Through the support of AWDF, some market structures have been renovated and are presently in use. Women now have the congenial atmosphere to do their business and no longer have to bear the consequences of the vagaries of the weather. Consequently children who accompany their mothers to the marketplace have a healthier environment in which to play and grow

– Organisations such as the Angie Brooks centre has also trained a core group of women and men who are solidifying peace in their communities by promoting peace and subduing early warning signs of conflict within their communities. With readily available peace educators, mediators and negotiators, communities are learning to resolve conflict amicably and readily.

Outcome of Training in Resource Mobilisation Course

– As a result of the GIMPA Resource Mobilisation course that a staff member of WONGOSOL attended, it was agreed at their last board meeting that the board should hold a special retreat to deliberate on the important recommendations that the staff member made after attending the course. The board therefore set up a committee that was tasked with ensuring that the retreat takes place and makes the most out of the opportunities presented. The board has agreed to review and revisit their resource mobilization strategies as well as their systems and structures. It is expected that the retreat will take place in the month of September 2010. WONGOSOL is a network of NGOs in Liberia.

– For the New Liberian Women Organisation/Skills Training Centre, the Resource Mobilisation course provided the skills and the knowledge to strategise and to be able to visualize all opportunities for mobilizing resources. For example during the International Colloquium on Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development Peace and Security (7^th-8^th March 2010), the New Liberian Women Organisation/Skills Training Centre using some graduates of its training centre made clothes and sold them to conference participants. They also launched an individual giving campaign starting from the streets and the market places of Monrovia and its environs out of which they got some money to purchase land and to commence the construction of an office complex that houses their offices and skills training centre. They have taken their income earning projects seriously and currently bake bread for sale. They have acquired a stall in the business area where they display their bread for sale. Their other income generating projects include tie & dye and sewing. They have also launched a campaign to get women to support initiatives for women. Again, the trainee has been sharing the knowledge and skills acquired with other women’s organisations in the country.

Beatrice Boakye-Yiadom (Grants Manager)

P.S: This post is the introduction to an internal report on AWDF’s M&E visit to Liberia

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]The African Women Leaders’ Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health was launched in Lweza, Uganda to coincide with the 15^th General Assembly of the AU Heads of States Summit in Kampala, Uganda in July 2010.

The Network seeks to strengthen women’s collective voice by providing leadership to reposition sexual and reproductive health and in particular, family planning on the continent. The network consists of women ministers, parliamentarians, civil society leaders, renowned artistes and musicians from all over Africa who firmly believe that sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental human right and should be located firmly within women’s ability to choose and control their sexual decision making in a safe way.

The Network was launched to register our dismay that women’s lives, including young women and adolescents, continue to be lost in Africa to preventable maternal deaths. The devastation these deaths causes to families, communities and to the prosperity of our nations is totally unacceptable. Whilst we recognize some strides have been made towards improving sexual and reproductive health including family planning, the Network is concerned at the slow progress resulting in the alarmingly high rates of maternal deaths on the continent.

Despite governments’ commitments to address the high level of unmet need for contraception; enhance access to information amongst young people; reduce maternal deaths, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions’ implementation of these commitments and resource allocations remain dismal. Maternal deaths are preventable and despite the availability of affordable cheap technologies to prevent them, they continue unabated.

The Network is focused on scaling up advocacy efforts and raising the profile of family planning as a simple method of preventing maternal deaths and empowering women, as well as continued prioritization of overall sexual and reproductive health at national, regional and international levels.

We welcome the recent developments at international and regional levels. Specifically the Continental Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health Maputo Plan of Action 2007- 2010, The Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in 2009 and the ongoing AU summit whose theme is Maternal, Infant and Child Health Development in Africa. In order to accelerate action and transformation, we urge our governments to:

• Reprioritize family planning and reproductive health through increased resources with specific budget line item and integrate gender responsive budgeting.
• Ensure comprehensive reproductive health programmes and services for adolescent and young people.
• Ensure provision of services that meet women’s sexual and reproductive health and needs.
• Implement agreements, protocols and policies such as the Maputo Plan of Action, Maputo Protocol, that uphold women’s SRHR.

We look forward to working alongside these processes to mobilise greater political commitment and action in order to address this critical development deficit.[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Le réseau africain des femmes leader pour la santé sexuelle et reproductive a été lancé a Lweza, Ouganda afin de coïncider avec la 15e Assemblée générale des chefs d’États de l’UA à Kampala, en Ougand en Juillet 2010.

Le Réseau vise à renforcer la voix collective des femmes en offrant un leadership pour repositionner la santé sexuelle et reproductive et en particulier, la planification familiale sur le continent. Le réseau se compose de femmes ministres, des parlementaires, des dirigeants de la société civile, des artistes de renom et des musiciens de toute l’Afrique qui croient fermement que la santé sexuelle et reproductive est un droit humain fondamental et doit être situé résolument dans la capacité des femmes de choisir et de contrôler leur prise de décision sexuelle d’une manière sûre.

Le réseau a été lancé pour enregistrer notre consternation face à la vie des femmes, notamment les jeunes femmes et les adolescentes, continuent d’être perdue en Afrique à cause des décès maternels évitables. La dévastation que ces décès provoque aux familles, aux communautés et à la prospérité de nos nations est totalement inacceptable. Alors que nous reconnaissons certains progrès ont été accomplis en vue de l’amélioration de la santé sexuelle et reproductive, y compris la planification familiale, le Réseau est préoccupé par la lenteur des progrès résultant des taux alarmants de décès maternels sur le continent.

Malgré les engagements des gouvernements pour faire face au niveau élevé des besoins non satisfaits en matière de contraception; améliorer l’accès à l’information parmi les jeunes; réduire la mortalité maternelle, les grossesses non désirées et la mise en œuvre de ces engagements et les allocations de ressources avortements dangereux de rester lamentable. Les décès maternels sont évitables et, malgré la disponibilité des technologies à bas prix abordables pour les prévenir, ils se poursuivent sans relâche.

Le réseau est axé sur l’intensification des efforts de plaidoyer et de rehausser le profil de la planification familiale comme une méthode simple de prévenir les décès maternels et de l’autonomisation des femmes, ainsi que la poursuite des priorités de la santé sexuelle et reproductive globale aux niveaux national, régional et international.

Nous nous félicitons des récents développements aux niveaux international et régional. Plus précisément, le Cadre continental sur la santé sexuelle et la santé reproductive Plan de Maputo d’action 2007- 2010, la campagne pour la réduction accélérée de la mortalité maternelle en 2009 et le sommet de l’UA en cours dont le thème est maternelle, infantile et le développement de la santé des enfants en Afrique. Afin d’accélérer l’action et de la transformation, nous exhortons nos gouvernements à:

Redéfinir les priorités de planification familiale et de santé génésique grâce à l’augmentation des ressources avec une ligne spécifique du budget et d’intégrer la budgétisation sensible au genre.
Assurer que les programmes et services de santé reproductive complets pour les personnes adolescentes et les jeunes.
Assurer la fourniture de services qui répondent aux besoins de santé et sexuelle et reproductive des femmes.
Mettre en œuvre des accords, protocoles et politiques tels que le Plan d’action de Maputo, Protocole de Maputo, qui soutiennent SDSR des femmes.
Nous sommes impatients de travailler aux côtés de ces processus pour mobiliser un plus grand engagement politique et l’action en vue de combler ce déficit de développement critique.[/tp]

Saiadatu Bala Ahmed is a 22-year-old married woman from Adamawa State in Northern Nigeria. Saiada as she is usually called has had her life transformed after watching the Vagina monologues play (‘V’- monologues) in Lagos.

Saiada lives with her husband and 2 year old daughter in Apapa, a suburb of Lagos State. She is a member of The Ajegunle Community Project (ACP) a grantee organisation of AWDF. ACP seeks to reduce social inequalities among grassroots women and the girl-child. Saiada got married at the age of 17 years under duress and had to forfeit writing the West African Examinations because her father could no longer pay for her education. Her prospective husband promised to send her to school to complete her education after the marriage, alas this promise was a fallacy as her marriage turned out to be as abusive as any woman could imagine! Any reference to the promise to continue her education intensified the violence against her. Saiada was beaten, wrongly accused of adultery, thrown out of home, raped, denied her human rights and was even divorced once (according to her culture a wife is divorced four times before the marriage is finally dissolved). Saiada’s husband sacked her from her marital home when she was four months pregnant because a male neighbor was staring at her (her husband said he doubted he had made her pregnant). Saiada’s daily life was a nightmare, one of apprehension and violence! Certainly this could not be allowed to go on forever!

The turning point for Saiada was in 2006 when she was invited by the late founder of Ajegunle Community Foundation to join other young women to watch the “V-Monologues” play in Lagos. The “V- Monologue” resonates Saiada’s life story. “Every stage of the play was about me and my life, l felt so sad and l just told myself that this is it, these violations of my human rights must stop now. The play just gave me courage, confidence and strength, and l just discovered my voice and myself. I was ready to demand and take my rights from my husband no matter what, l was just ready” Saiada said. Such profound words indeed! Saiada had to be careful though; she was not just dealing with an abusive husband but also an obsessed one. She started off by posting posters with messages of violence against women on the walls of their room at places where he would never miss to notice. Messages such as “Do not allow any man to turn your body into a punching bag, it is your right to protect it”. “Against her will is against the law”. These messages continued for awhile but they almost also landed her into trouble with her husband. But this never deterred Saiada. She was determined and stood her ground, threatening to report her husband to the police if he beats her and saying she will use the marks on her body as evidence against him. The spark of audacity and determination in her eyes and actions sent a strong warning message to her husband to be careful with her, “this is the new Saiada Bala who is now well informed about her rights” she said. In order to gain his ‘masculine ego’ back, he asked her to stop attending the meetings at ACP but she refused and insisted she will continue to attend. He asked her to leave his house but she refused and reminded him that she was his wife and had to be divorced four times! He threatened to marry a second women but she told him she will simply move out and move on with her life. He used all sort of ploys to get her into a submissive demeanor but Saiada was now too well informed to be manipulated. He finally gave up!

Today, Saiada has completed a computer school with sponsorship from her husband and she is getting ready to go back to school to study diploma in sociology. “My husband is becoming a changed person now, thankfully the violence has stopped” she said. Saiada also has political aspirations and will like to go into mainstream politics one day. This is an awesome young lady with huge potentials that should be nurtured. She is highly recommended to attend the African women’s leadership institute and African feminist Forum.

“The Vagina Monologues, “V-monologues: The Nigerian Story” is a remake of the American version. The American version, written by Eve Ensler, was a catalogue of various monologues told by various women. A recurring theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of female empowerment, and the ultimate embodiment of individuality. However, the Nigerian version is a bit different. The play is aimed at raising awareness about various aspects of violence women and girls face in Nigeria.

The Vagina Monologues came to Nigeria for the first time in 2006 through Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) a grantee of AWDF. It has since evolved into a Nigerian version (The V-Monologues) infused with issues peculiar to the Nigerian cultural challenges with the use of Nigerian language and music.

Nafi Chinery

Capacity Building Officer (AWDF)

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah (Programme Officer, AWDF) and Thelma Owusu Boakye (Programme Assistant, AWDF) held a number of vox pops with some of the participants at the African Women in Film Forum, 16th-17th June 2010, Lagos, Nigeria.

Below are a selection of Audio Files from the film forum. Your feedback, comments and thoughts are appreciated:

Film Forum – Tunde Kelani

Film Forum – Bunmi Oyinsan

A selection of pictures from the Film Forum can be found on AWDF’s Flickr page

Abena Busia’s paper which set the context for the Film Forum, ‘ Women and the Dynamics of Representation: Of Cooking, Cars and Culture‘ can be viewed on the AWDF Blog and AWDF Facebook Page

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]Responsibility: Coordinate the African Grantmakers’ Network

Reports to: AGN Steering Committee

Liaises with: Member-organizations of AGN

Location: The coordinator will preferably be based within one of the AGN member organizations, but other locations may be considered.

Specific Responsibilities

Working under the supervision of the Chairperson and Co-Chairperson of the steering committee of the AGN, the consultant will provide dynamic coordination of the network. Specifically, he/she will:

• Efficiently manage and coordinate the core activities of the AGN, which include research and publications on philanthropy in Africa, advocacy for an enabling policy environment, peer learning and exchanges, workshops and convenings, and other membership services.

• Take initiative in developing and implementing innovative ideas and plans to enlarge and sustain the network.

• Develop and implement plans for raising the visibility of the AGN as well as building broad support for it.

• Prepare reports and serve as rapporteur at steering committee meetings.

• Work with the steering committee to build and strengthen collaborations between the AGN on one hand and philanthropy networks, forums and organizations elsewhere in the world on the other.

Qualifications and Skills

• Degree and at least 5 years of experience in philanthropy, outreach, and network building.

• Proven experience of managing membership organizations and networks.

• Good understanding of international development work

• Proven ability to function independently, take initiative and manage multiple tasks simultaneously, with prompt follow-through, careful attention to detail and an ability to meet deadlines.

• Excellent computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and other fundraising tools.
• Strong public-speaking skills, fluency in English and French (oral and written), and excellent knowledge of communication and advocacy strategies.

• Sound judgment and commitment to AGN’s core values of collaboration, accountability and efficiency.

Background on the African Grantmakers’ Network

 

The Africa Grantmakers’ Network (AGN) was established in July 2009 in Accra, Ghana, as a collective of African grantmaking institutions. The main goals of the AGN are to:Serve as a platform for peer learning and good practice to enhance good standards and practices.

1. Amplify local voices in development discourse and African perspectives in global platforms.
2. Reinforce the tradition of African philanthropy.
3. Advocate for long-term and sustainable support, including investments and endowments for African philanthropic institutions.Serve as a reference point for Africans in the Diaspora and affirmation of the identity of African philanthropic institutions.
4. Cultivate productive relations with other civil society formations in Africa and increase networking for effective advocacy around the aid agenda and the legal environment, including the tax regime.
5. Conduct pertinent research and capacity building to advance the field of African philanthropy.

 

How to Apply

To apply, please email resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to info@trustafrica.org. No phone calls or recruiters please. Deadline for applications: July 30, 2010.

The African Grantmakers’ Network is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and individuals from Africa are encouraged to apply.

View this announcement online at http://bit.ly/agncoordinator.[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Responsabilité: Coordonner le réseau de l’subventionneurs africaine

Rapports au: Comité directeur AGN

Assurer la liaison avec: les organisations membres de l’AGN

Lieu: Le coordinateur sera de préférence basé au sein de l’une des organisations membres de l’AGN, mais d’autres endroits peut être envisagée.

Responsabilités particulières

Travaillant sous la supervision du Président et Co-président du comité de direction de l’AGN, le consultant assurera la coordination dynamique du réseau. Plus précisément, il / elle devra:

• Gérer efficacement et de coordonner les activités de base de l’AGN, qui incluent la recherche et des publications sur la philanthropie en
• Afrique, le plaidoyer pour un environnement politique favorable, l’apprentissage par les pairs et d’échanges, d’ateliers et de convocations, et d’autres services aux membres.
• Prendre l’initiative dans l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre des idées et des plans pour agrandir et de soutenir le réseau innovantes.
• Élaborer et mettre en œuvre des plans pour accroître la visibilité de l’AGN ainsi que la construction d’un large soutien pour elle.
• Préparer des rapports et de servir en tant que rapporteur lors des réunions du comité de pilotage.
• Travailler avec le comité de direction pour construire et renforcer les collaborations entre l’AGN sur les réseaux, forums et organisations d’une part et de la philanthropie ailleurs dans le monde de l’autre.

Qualifications et Compétences

• Diplôme et au moins 5 ans d’expérience dans la philanthropie, la sensibilisation et le renforcement du réseau.
• Une expérience avérée de la gestion des organisations associatives et les réseaux.
• Bonne compréhension des activités de développement international
• Aptitude avérée à fonctionner indépendamment, prendre des initiatives et de gérer plusieurs tâches simultanément, avec un suivi rapide grâce, attention aux détails et une capacité à respecter les délais.
• Excellentes compétences informatiques et la connaissance des applications Microsoft Office, y compris Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, et d’autres outils de collecte de fonds.
• Solides compétences de parole en public, la maîtrise de l’anglais et du français (oral et écrit), et une excellente connaissance des stratégies de communication et de plaidoyer.
• Jugement et engagement envers les valeurs fondamentales de l’AGN de ​​collaboration, la responsabilisation et l’efficacité.
• Renseignements généraux sur le Réseau des subventionneurs africains

 

Le Réseau «subventionneurs Afrique (AGN) a été créé en Juillet 2009 à Accra, au Ghana, en tant que collectif des institutions subventionnaires africains. Les principaux objectifs de l’AGN sont les suivants:

1. Servir comme une plate-forme pour l’apprentissage par les pairs et de bonnes pratiques pour améliorer les bonnes normes et pratiques.
2. Amplifier les voix locales dans le discours du développement et les perspectives africaines dans les plates-formes mondiales.
3. Renforcer la tradition de philanthropie africaine.
4. Avocat à long terme et un soutien durable, y compris les investissements et les dotations pour institutions.Serve philanthropique africaine comme un point de référence pour les Africains de la diaspora et de l’affirmation de l’identité des institutions philanthropiques africains.
5. Cultiver des relations productives avec les autres formations de la société civile en Afrique et d’accroître le réseautage pour un plaidoyer efficace autour de l’agenda de l’aide et de l’environnement juridique, y compris le régime fiscal.
6. Mener des recherches pertinentes et le renforcement des capacités pour faire avancer le domaine de la philanthropie africaine.
Comment appliquer

Pour postuler, s’il vous plaît envoyer CV, lettre de motivation, et un échantillon d’écriture pour info@trustafrica.org. Pas d’appels téléphoniques ou les recruteurs vous plaît. Date limite pour les applications 30 Juillet 2010.

Le Réseau des subventionneurs africains est un employeur d’égalité des chances. Les femmes, les minorités et les personnes originaires d’Afrique sont encouragées à postuler.

Voir cette annonce en ligne à http://bit.ly/agncoordinator.[/tp]

 

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) in collaboration with Lufodo Productions is convening an African Women in Film Forum, 16^th-17^th June 2010 in Lagos, Nigeria.

This forum is being held to facilitate a dialogue on women’s rights with movie producers and writers, and establish a Gender Dialogue with the `Nollywood’ sector in Nigeria. In order to further promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, there is a need for women’s rights organisations to adopt strategies that can target a mass base of the population if perceptions, behaviours and attitudes are to be influenced. This activity is a crucial component of AWDF’s Popular Culture Project, which is supported by the MDG3 Fund.

According to AWDF’s Executive Director, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi ‘The African Women in Film Forum will bring together a number of prominent African filmmakers, writers and creatives including Professor Abena Busia, Tsitsi Dangaremba and Akin Omotoso to start a gender dialogue on how we can reclaim popular culture to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment’.

ENDS

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national and regional organizations in Africa working towards women’s empowerment. AWDF through institutional capacity building and program development seeks to build a culture of learning and partnerships within the African women’s movement.

The vision of AWDF is for African women to live in a world in which there is social justice, equality and respect for women’s human rights. To this end, our mission is to mobilize financial resources to support local, national and regional initiatives led by women, which will lead to the achievement of this vision.

Press Enquiries

Nana Sekyiamah – Programme Officer (Fundraising & Communications)

Tel: + 233 (0) 302 521257

Email: nana@africlub.net/awdf

Websites: www.africlub.net/awdf[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Le Fonds Africain de Développement de la Femme (AWDF) en collaboration avec Lufodo Productions est la convocation d’une des femmes africaines dans le forum du film, le 16-Juin 17th 2010 à Lagos, au Nigeria.

 

Ce forum est organisé pour faciliter un dialogue sur les droits des femmes avec les producteurs et les auteurs de cinéma, et d’établir un dialogue entre les sexes avec le secteur `Nollywood” au Nigeria. Afin de promouvoir davantage l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes, il ya un besoin pour les organisations des droits des femmes à adopter des stratégies qui peuvent cibler une base de masse de la population si les perceptions, les comportements et les attitudes doivent être influencé. Cette activité est une composante essentielle du projet Culture Populaire de AWDF, qui est soutenu par le Fonds OMD3.

 

Selon le directeur exécutif de l’AWDF, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi «Les femmes africaines dans Film Forum rassemblera un certain nombre d’éminents africains cinéastes, écrivains et créateurs, dont le Professeur Abena Busia, Tsitsi Dangaremba et Akin Omotoso d’entamer un dialogue entre les sexes sur la façon dont nous pouvons récupérer la culture populaire pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et l’autonomisation des femmes ».

 

 

Le Fonds Africain de Développement de la Femme (AWDF) est une fondation d’octroi de subventions qui soutient des organisations locales, nationales et régionales en Afrique travaillent à l’autonomisation des femmes. AWDF à travers le renforcement des capacités institutionnelles et le développement de programme vise à construire une culture de l’apprentissage et des partenariats au sein du mouvement des femmes africaines.

 

La vision de AWDF est pour les femmes africaines de vivre dans un monde dans lequel il ya la justice sociale, l’égalité et le respect des droits humains des femmes. À cette fin, notre mission est de mobiliser des ressources financières pour soutenir les initiatives locales, nationales et régionales dirigées par des femmes, ce qui mènera à la réalisation de cette vision.

 

Questions presse

Nana Sekyiamah – Administrateur de programme (Levée de fonds et des communications)

Tel: + 233 (0) 302 521 257

Email: nana@africlub.net/awdf

Sites Web: www.africlub.net/awdf[/tp]

“Know Thyself”, a popular saying, is so real in my life. I have come to realise that lyrics of songs is my greatest source of inspiration. I have therefore programmed myself to listen to only good music every day.

I tuned into a radio station this morning and I heard an unfamiliar song but the lyric was so touching and real that I goggled the lyrics to get the words. The title of the song is “No charge”. It talks about a guy who sent a bill to his mum for all that he’s done and being doing that the mum never paid for. The mum turned the sheet and wrote on the paper all the things she’s done for the boy: from the nine months in her womb to the cost of his college fees that she never charged him anything, after reading, he was filled with so much tears and he told her of how much he loves and appreciate her effort.

Sunday 9^th May 2010 is Mothers day and as usual Children are having lots of plans for their mum. My question this year is “Do we appreciate our mother’s everyday or we wait till Mother’s day to show our love”? For some, it’s just about getting her a voucher for a shopping spree and it ends there, for others, it’s all about the fact that they have the money and so can even buy the world for their mums.

Every mother’s greatest pride is to see her child do something to make her proud so for most mothers, little things like their kids receiving prizes at school and getting promotions at work or their chosen field of endeavours make them proud and it has always been the case.

Even as we mark this year’s mother’s day, I wish we would go the extra mile of telling our mothers how much we appreciate their effort, not through a text message but if possible seeing them face to face to tell them how much they mean to us, that I believe will make them proud of us

They carried, nurtured and did everything we needed at no cost, so let’s give them our all not on mother’s day but as long as God gives us breath, for they deserve it.

Kudos to all mothers, No amount of money can be used to repay your efforts and for that reason you never and can never be able to charge us.

Love to you all

Mavis Gardiner

Finance Assistant