WOMEN WHO INSPIRE


strategic philanthropic resource in Africa. Binding its unique women for women achievement is the AWDF’s comprehen- sive institutional capacity-building pro- gramme, which is aimed at creating and strengthening the organisational capa- bilities of its grantees and beneficiaries. It is widely accepted, and has been


proven, that with equal access to educa- tion, training, job opportunities in any field and financial means, women are better at raising the living standards of their families and thereby improving the economies within their local communi- ties. And this is where the AWDF goes to work – with a commitment to ensure that the women and projects they sup- port, succeed and achieve, by becoming self-sufficient and self-sustaining in the long term. Tis, the AWDF believes, can only be realised if “African women live in a world in which there is social jus- tice, equality and respect for their human rights”. It has not been easy and there is still a long way to go, but by and large the AWDF has helped create this type of en- vironment through the projects it funds.


SINGLE MOTHERS Many of the AWDF’s beneficiaries have challenged patriarchies and gone be- yond their traditional roles as the back- breaking income-generating wives and mothers. For example the Single Mothers Association of Kenya (SMAK), headed by Angelina Nandwa has been receiv- ing funding from AWDF for six years, to support its diverse range of programmes including helping young single mothers, teenage pregnancy issues, home care pro- vision for elderly vulnerable women and counselling. SMAK also provides community-


Top: Donor education tour participants from America join part of the community in KIPEWA AWDF project Kenya. Above: A peek into the community-based Single Mothers Association of Kenya, (above) which is run by Angelina Nandwa (inset)


interview on page 44). Indeed whether it be investing in a


mentoring and empowerment programme for young women in Uganda which helps educate the next generation of leaders, supporting a community-based single mother’s association in Kenya, or making sure that mothers do not die while giving birth by sponsoring a memorial trust set


38 | NEW AFRICAN WOMAN | WINTER 2011


up to help prevent maternal mortality in Ghana, the work of the AWDF is far- reaching and these are just a tiny sample of the many projects that run with help from AWDF funding. Overall, the ADWF has to date fund-


raised and disbursed US$15m in grants to 800 women’s organisations in 43 African countries, making it one of the largest


based vocational training and education as well as generating employment for skilled and unskilled women, who would other- wise be sitting at home unemployed. “In most Kenyan communities, it is very difficult to leave your husband because your parents will not accept you back. So it can be very difficult to start a new


life as a single mother if you do not have support. Tis is why a project like ours is important to women,"says Nandwa who herself was forced back to her husband, but eventually managed to leave him for good. Her project now looks aſter single mothers of as young as 13! Another project in Kenya, the Young Women Campaign Against Aids (YWC-


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