AWDF Logo
 AWDF NEWS
Put your money where your heart is
In This Issue
INTERVIEW WITH KINNA LIKIMANI, BOARD MEMBER, MBAASEM
THE DYNAMISM OF A RURAL WOMAN
AWDF NEWS
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
Issue: 10
AWDF's Executive Director
 
Greetings!
 
 
Welcome to this month's e-newsletter from the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF).
 
In this month's feature interview learn more about the challenges African women writers face through our interview with Kinna Likimani, a board member of Mbaasem (Women's Affairs) and daughter of internationally renowned authoress Ama Ata Aidoo.
 
Here at AWDF, we are continually inspired by the dynamism of local women who work incredibly hard to improve their lives and that of their famillies and communities. Be inspired by "Auntie Faustie", the founder of Adom Palm Oil group whose organisation has been a beneficiary of our small grants programme in Ghana.
 
On 25th May 2009, Africa Day, the pan Africanist movement suffered a huge loss with the sudden death of one its leading thinkers and activists, Dr Tajudeen Abdul Raheem. Dr Raheem or Taju as he was fondly known to many of us died in a car accident in Nairobi, Kenya.
 
AWDF commiserates with his family, friends and all who knew and were touched by his life. Please read our memorium to Taju below. The next edition of this newsletter will be a Special Issue in memory of Taju's life and his commitments to women's rights. 
 

Sincerely,
 
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi
Executive Director

 

 
INTERVIEW WITH KINNA LIKIMANI, BOARD MEMBER, MBAASEM (WOMEN'S AFFAIRS)

 
 Ama Ata Aidoo and daughter

 
 
Picture: 
Kinna Likimani and Ama Ata Aidoo
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kinna Likimani is a board member of Mbaasem, an organisation set up in 2000 by internationally renowned writer and educator Ama Ata Aidoo to support African women writers and their literary output. Kinna sat down with Nana, AWDF's Programme Officer for Fundraising & Communications to have a chat about Mbaasem, Ama Ata Aidoo's latest work and the African women's movement.
 
NS: How did the idea for Mbaasem come about?
 
KL: Mbaasem is a personal mission of Ama Ata Aidoo. In her own life she realised the lack of support given to African women  writers and their efforts. . Virginia Woolf said 'a woman must have money and a room of one's own if she is to write'. How many Africans have that, let alone African women?
 
NS: What have been some of the activities of Mbaasem so far?
 
KL: We have run workshops for women writers, established a documentation centre which includes both web and paper resources and are in the process of launching a fund for African women writers...continue reading "Interview with Kinna Likimani"
THE DYNAMISM OF RURAL WOMEN: THE STORY OF FAUSTINA DONKOR


 
 Faustina Donkor
 
 
Picture: Faustina Donkor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Madam Faustina Donkor, affectionately called "Auntie Faustie" is the chairperson of Adom Palm Oil women's group. Auntie Faustie was born on the 7th of July 1958 in Gomoa Koforidua, Ghana. She moved to Kofigyan in Wassa West in the western region of Ghana when she got married and has since lived in Kofigyan.

Adom Palm Oil women's group is a popular group in the Wassa West district, due to the resilient leadership style of Auntie Faustie. She started the group in 1998 to give women of Kofigyan a dignified life. Auntie Faustie started this group as a susu (rotational savings) group with three other women who contributed GH 50p (approx US$0.75). Their objective was to raise enough money to purchase palm oil processing equipment. After one year she decided to convince other women to join the group.  By the year 2000, she had mobilised fifteen women to become group members. Having mobilised these women and raised enough capital, Auntie Faustie led the group to lobby for a loan from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). This was done with the help of a community mobilisation officer and a village teacher who filled the application form for them. The application was successful and the group was awarded a one year loan of Ghana �4000(approx US$2797). ...Continue reading "The Dynamism of a Rural Woman: The Story of Faustina Donkor "

TAJUDEEN ABDUL RAHEEM, 1961-2009: PAN-AFRICANIST, COMRADE AND FRIEND OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS
 
 
In Memoriam
 
Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem was born in Katsina State, Nigeria in 1961 and died in Nairobi, Kenya on the 24th of May 2009 on "Africa Union" Day.
 
Tajudeen was a journalist, writer and a resolute Pan-Africanist. He was a director of Justice Africa, Chairperson for the Pan African Development Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) and Chair of the International Governing Council of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
 
Tajudeen was married to Mounira Chaieb and had two daughters Aisha and Aida.

 
It was with a great sense of loss and sadness that we received the stunning news of Tajudeen's death.

He was such a positive role model and inspiration to us all. Taju was more than just a wonderful person; he was always so kind, sharp, energetic and considerate that we always welcomed seeing him at every opportunity.  Taju was a giver, never a taker. He was always there to help no matter how busy he was; no matter the time of day; and, never asking anything in return. Friends like Taju are few in life and it is with a heavy heart that we grieve his loss.
 
We know that his passing has not only left a void in our lives, but in the hearts of all those who knew him. Taju will always remain within our hearts as the true and unapologetic feminist that he was. How we want, need, and hope for more time to spend with Taju but the short time we did spend with him means so much to us...continue to read tribute to Tajudeen Abdul Raheem


CERTIFICATE COURSE IN RESOURCE MOBILISATION FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS

  • Are you an Executive  Director or manager of a non-profit organization
  • Are youworking in the NGO sector?
  • Is your organization's sustainability threatened by shrinking donor support?
  • Are you in charge of fundraising and resource mobilisation in your organization
  • Do want to enhance your skills in fundraising?
  • Are you a trainer or consultant in fundraising and resource mobilisation for the non-profit sector?
 
If your answer to any or all of the above questions is yes, then this 20 days course organised jointly by GIMPA, the Resource Alliance (UK) and the African Women's Development Foundation (AWDF) Ghana is definitely a must!
 
The Certificate in Resources Mobilization for Non-Profits course will equip you with critical knowledge and skills which when applied in everyday work situations will result in a significant increase in the effectiveness of your fundraising.
 
Come and learn from the experience of fundraising experts and donor agents.  This is your organization's ticket to financial sustainability.  ..."Certificate Course in Resource Mobilisation for Non-Profit Organisations"
The African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national and regional organisations in Africa working towards women's empowerment. AWDF through institutional capacity building and programme 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 mobilise financial resources to support local, national and regional initiatives led by women, which will lead to the achievement of this vision.  AWDF funds women's groups across Africa working in the areas of Women's Human Rights, Political Participation, Peace Building, Health and Reproductive Rights, HIV/AIDS and Economic Empowerment.
 
AWDF has funded over 800 women's organisations in 41 African countries. AWDF's grants range from U$1,000- U$50,000, and multi-year grants of up to $120,000 can be made to grantees engaged in strategic work.