It is common knowledge that resources available for development in Africa has declined and continue to do so. The situation has often been blamed on ineffective leadership on the continent, insufficient capital outflows and non-sustainable efforts to stabilize the economies of most of the countries in Africa.
This has no doubt led to the impoverishment of people in Africa. The need to become financially independent, especially the women of Africa, has become critical to the continent’s empowerment. Thus, initiatives such the African Women Developemnt Fund (AWDF), couldn’t have come at the right time.
In 2003, AWDF awarded a total amount of $1,258,000 to 155 women’s organisations in 31 African countries.
The AWDF in the same year, had two grant-making cycles in May and November, and as a result gave out $410,000 in grants to 42 organisations in 19 countries.
Its 2003 annual report indicates that the fund has continued to make progress with resource mobilization efforts in order to expand the organisation’s resource base.
The fund, not only continues to receive support from its existing donors, but in the year under review, it was able to attract support from new donors as well. However, the report stresses the need to sustain its mobilisation strategies which come with further serious challenges.
The African Women Development Fund is a fundraising and grant-making initiative that supports the work of the African women’s movements. AWDF seeks to transform African women to be able to live in a changed world with integrity and in peace. Most of the AWDF’s fundraising efforts have been targeted at foundations and other funding agencies, but needs to start focusing on individual benevolence too.
On outreach and partnerships, the AWDF participated and made significant inputs for seminars such as the International Human Rights Funders Group Seminar and the Conference of the International Network for Women’s Funds held in Ghana.
Women in general seem to be disadvantaged on all fronts and illiterate women are less likely to know about their rights, thus making them vulnerable to all acts of domestic violence.
With funding from the AWDF, 66 women’s rights groups have been trained in knowledge on laws pertaining to marriage, separation, divorce and constitutional rights, among others. These trainees are now armed with information on both gender and legal issues, which enables them to provide necessary legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, child abuse and unequal distribution of resources.
The fund supported 45 organisations involved in empowering women economically. They, in turn, supported some women groups in the area of agricultural production and processing, to empower them economically so as to be self-reliant. The report states that this has helped the women to be able to meet their basic needs such as paying of children’s school fees, clothing and saving for the future.
The low participation of women in leadership is a major impediment to the building and sustenance of good governance on the continent. With the support of the AWDF, 12 organisations were awarded grants to support certain women groups who have been working to increase women’s participation in governance and leadership.
In Ghana for example, the number of women parliamentarians rose from 18 to about 23 currently, likewise in other African countries. It is assumed that even though it does not address the gender imbalance, it is a step forward in getting women to participate more actively in politics.
Advocacy is considered essential to influence stakeholders and policy makers on women’s health and rights. Research has shown, however, that there is lack of capacity in the area of advocacy on women’s health. Since the media plays a crucial role in the success of advocacy, the AWDF supported the Multidisciplinary African Women’s Health Network, to organise a training of trainers meeting to enhance media skills in advocacy.
The major aim was to bring together all disciplines working in the area of women’s health in Africa to enhance their capacity. All participants on their return held similar programmes and shared skills and knowledge they acquired within their organisations and countries.
A total of $13,000 in grants went to 9 organisations to support their efforts in combating HIV/AIDs on the continent. In the period under review, the AWDF awarded an amount $16,000 during the grants cycles in May and September to 11 organisations in Ghana to support community development projects led by women.
AWDF set up a Special Grants Initiative to create additional source of funding for current or potential AWDF grantees. This is to enable them engage in activities which promote learning and sharing of experiences on local, national and international levels.
The solidarity fund will also support women emergency situations such as in conflicts and other issues that require rapid response. Since its establishment, the solidarity fund has awarded seven organisations a total of $19,000 in five African countries including Ghana.
AWDF again launched a Capacity Building Unit in September in the year under review to support the work of its grantee organisations to enable them enhance their institutional capacity through a variety of strategies such as capacity building, management assistance and peer learning. Joana Foster, Chair of AWDF, says there is money in Africa which could be mobilized to support women in their effort to enhance their capacities to tackle the fundamental causes of women’s poverty and inequality.
‘‘We are aware of money in individual hands and within institutions and communities. The challenge is how to access these funds in a structured manner so African women can set up their own philanthropic institutions which will give long-term impact on their lives”, she stated. She emphasized the independence, self-worth and the sense of ownership of a strategic initiative such as the AWDF that comes with individual giving, however small but regularly.
She urged everyone to come on board, be part of the AWDF and put their monies where their hearts are.
The Executive Director of the fund, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, says the fund’s commitment to the dynamic use of physical, intellectual and creativity by African women that allows for women’s agency, productivity, self-discovery, awareness raising and building of much needed confidence.
She believes that as a fund that emerged from the African women’s movement itself, its key responsibility is to ensure that these objectives continue to thrive and voices become clearer and more articulate.
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