Ghana, Accra —“The African Grantmakers Network will change the face of global philanthropy. And it will happen right here in Africa”, said Sarah Mukasa, Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund, at a meeting organized to establish a network of African grantmakers.
And TrustAfrica’s Executive Director, Akwasi Aidoo, emphasized that the AGN’s main function will be to “change the narrative of Africa as helpless and hapless, tilt the balance of stories, and increase the visibility and knowledge of Africa ”. He went on to say, “this is a network with a solid net across our continent and lots of good work for its people”.
The AGN will also:
Serve as a platform for peer learning and good practice to enhance good standards and practices;
Ensure an amplification of local voices in development discourse and African perspectives in global platforms;
Reinforce the tradition of African philanthropy;
Advocate for long-term and sustainable mechanisms and resources, including investments and endowments for philanthropic institutions in Africa
Serve as a reference point for Africans in the Diaspora and a point to affirm the identity of African philanthropic institutions;
Cultivate good 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; and
Conduct pertinent research, capacity building and advocacy roles.
A Steering Committee was elected comprising:
Bisi Adeleye FAYEMI: Chair (African Women’s Development Fund , Ghana )
Janet MAWIYOO: Co-Chair ( Kenya Community Development Foundation , Kenya )
Akwasi AIDOO: ( TrustAfrica , Senegal )
Christine DELPORT: (Greater Rustenburg Community Foundation , South Africa )
Neville GABRIEL: (Southern Africa Trust , South Africa )
Ezra MBOGORI: (Akiba Uhaki Foundation, East Africa )
John ULANGA: (Foundation for Civil Society , Tanzania )
Source: www.trustafrica.org
