Celebrating Sisterhood: Celebrating The African Women's Development Fund

As we continue this month of celebrating sisterhood. We would like to highlight various organizations and individuals who emulate sisterhood. One sucThe African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grantmaking foundation that supports local, national and regional women’s organizations working towards the empowerment of African women and the promotion and realization of their rights.h organization is the African Women's Development Fund. 

The organization was founded by three African women Hilda Tadria, Joana Foster (may her soul rest in peace) and Bisi Adeleye Fayemi in 2000. To date the organization under the leadership of Theo Sowa has mobiized resources for over 1300 organizations in 45 countries in Africa and the Middle East. 

For more on AWDF visit The AWDF

Photocredit AWDF

3 Women's Month Events for African Women in the Diaspora

As much as we don't believe in only celebrating women for a month, we also understand the importance of women gathering and amplifying our presence through community. So March is like christmas for us here at WCA. Here are a few events for those of you in the New York City Tristate Area you definitely want to attend and check out. 

1. AWDF-USA presents Voices of the Diaspora.“Voices of the Diaspora” is being held during the 62nd convening of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. This timing is fostering attendance by some of the leading names in African women’s philanthropy and diplomacy including AWDF CEO Theo Sowa, AWDF USA Board Chair and Ghana’s Ambassador to Brazil, Her Excellency Dr. Abena P.A. Busia., and AWDF Special Programmes Manager Abigail Burgesson.

The invite-only gathering will include a cocktail hour, hors d’oeuvres, and comments from a range of women on the theme of “Amplifying Women’s Voices in the Diaspora.” The goal of the program is to illustrate to attendees the work accomplished by AWDF, emphasize the importance of cultivating a culture of philanthropy across ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, and ultimately to illustrate the significant and unique role that AWDF USA plays as a bridging organization.

2.  AfriWomen Hangout! : A WCA sponsored event in collaboration with Moremi Initiative, Whole Woman 40/40 Initiative Hosted by The AWDF-USA, Afri-Women Hangout is a space to gather African women from the continent and from throughout the diaspora, with the ultimate goal of advancing  intergenerational feminist movements in Africa in the diaspora. To request an invitation to the event email awdfcommunications@gmail.com. This invite-only Hangout which will be hosted by Maame Afon-Yelbert Sai and Moiyattu Banya both AWDF-USA board members. The event will bring young women emerging as leaders from networks such as Moremi Initiative, Women|Change|Africa and Whole Woman 40/40 Initiative. in the fields of education, non-profit work, entrepreneurship, and other areas will participate in networking, leadership development activities, and receiving mentorship from women leaders who are established in their fields.

3. Women Werk Conference 2018 : The Women Werk annual conference is an event to look forward to. The organization will celebrate the 5th Annual Women Werk Conference on March 10th at New York University, with the theme Reset: Bounce back from setbacks. To purchase early bird tickets visit womenwerk.com. We hope to see you there!

Passionate Legacies: A celebration and fundraiser for The African Women's Development Fund at 15

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Passionate Legacies: A celebration and fundraiser for The African Women's Development Fund at 15

“When you invest in women and girls, the return on your investment is not about the life of the one woman or the one girl who has been affected, but it’s about healthier families, healthier communities, healthier countries and revitalized communities all round.”-- Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

New York, NY—March 1, 2016— The African Women’s Development Fund-USA (AWDF-USA) today announced a cocktail gala event for the 15-year anniversary celebration of the African Women’s Development Fund. The event is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 16, from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the Millennium Plaza Hotel located at 1 United Nations Plaza in Manhattan.

Entitled “Passionate Legacies: A Celebration and Fundraiser for the African Women’s Development Fund @ 15” the event will host founders, grantees, partners, community members as well as the passionate legacies, work and history of AWDF.  It is a great time to recognize the achievements and history of AWDF during the 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN headquarters in New York.

The invite-only affair will include a cocktail hour and two live performances from recording artist and prominent leader in the Pan African movement, Maame Afon Yelbert-Obeng. The event will also commemorate African women through the dual launch of “Voice, Power and Soul II,” a book that illustrates the success stories of African women feminist, and “Sheroes,” an AWDF Compilation CD that includes music from artists such as Angelique Kidjoe, Nneka, Somi, Maame Afon- Yelbert Obeng, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and many other African women   select videos and short films original poetry authored by African women.

Hosts of the event include AWDF Co- Founder and First CEO Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, AWDF CEO Theo Sowa, Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, and The AWDF-USA Board.

AWDF USA provides a vehicle for effective American philanthropy to Africa that builds the capacity of the continent’s women for social change and sustainable development. This event is an important platform to elevate the visibility of our work with the US Diaspora, empowering and engaging African women currently living in the United States.

For further inquiries please email info@womenchangeafrica.com. Additional information is also available online via AWDF USA , and on social media via facebook.com/awdfusa or twitter.com @AWDFUSA.