The Ford Foundation Office of West Africa (OWA) in collaboration with PaTiTi Consulting, has convened its first edition of the African Philanthropy Dialogues in London to discuss alternative approaches and strategies in addressing the rising issues affecting the philanthropy community in Africa.
Conversations at the convening centered on the opportunities available to Africans in the diaspora to create sustainable and lasting change in Africa’s philanthropic landscape especially in recent times, when foreign donor funding to African civil society organizations (CSOs) is increasingly dwindling, and when more than ever, there is the need to partner with local CSOs and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to create the needed impact in various sectors in Africa.
Speaking on the proposed roadmap towards Africa’s philanthropic success, ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, Regional Director of the Ford Foundation OWA said the foundation is eager to have a conversation with Africans in the diaspora, to get them thinking about their approach to giving and whip up their interest in addressing the development challenges in Africa.
Aniagolu-Okoye stated that one key point of discussion is to figure out how to encourage people in the diaspora to consider carrying out their philanthropic work through local CSOs in Africa. “We find these local CSOs to be very effective in the delivery of the needed change we envision for Africa because they are closer to the communities, understand the issues, have built networks in the communities and with governments, and possess crosscutting measures to tackle developmental issues in much cheaper ways,” she said.
Theo Sowa, the keynote speaker for the conversation, and former Director of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) said Africans present at the event must redefine their concept of philanthropy to create the needed sense of ownership in the continent’s philanthropic space.
“Philanthropy is a part of us! That is why we have to be intentional about how we carry out philanthropy and how we speak about it, so that it is more relevant to our communities. It is time we all see each other as philanthropists because we hold the power to make a difference in the lives of others through our resources, time, and service.”
Sowa said the only way Africans can address issues back home is by investing in projects and initiatives and move away from the distrust storyline trumpeted among Africans. She explained that “we have to get out of the mindset and narrative that we cannot trust ourselves as Africans to address our own issues. If we do not trust ourselves, we won’t even be alive. Back home, we have countless examples of organisations making the needed difference through philanthropic initiatives.” For her, these are testaments to the great work that can be done with the right support.
“Currently, our continent is faced with various challenges and struggles, but has continued to thrive because we have passions, drive, and faith as a people. Therefore, let’s work together, through your funding so that we can see the transformation that we want on our continent,” she added.
The fireside chat with Adam Heal, director of Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), and Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima, Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation OWA, presented participants with real-life experiences on how diasporan funding through local CSOs can make the needed change.
Adam Heal shared the SDN’s practical processes in aiding with the crafting of extractive policies to help change the lives of people living in the Niger Delta region who have been affected by the effects of the oil extraction era.
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In a panel discussion, moderated by Innocent Ischei, director of the ACIOE Associates, on the theme Sustainable Philanthropy: Creating Lasting Impact, panelists – Aniagolu-Okoye, Regional Director of the Ford Foundation OWA; Chukwuka Monye, Managing Partner of Ciuci Consulting; Imma Ndey, People Leader at Accenture; and Kenny Washington shared practical lessons from their activities and initiatives in addressing some of Africa’s social and economic issues and the hurdles they continue to encounter within the funding and philanthropy community, which sometimes stifles the progress of their projects and initiatives. Closing the session, panelists charged participants present to actively play a part in redefining philanthropy in Africa by trusting the men and women back home putting their expertise at work to create the needed change.
Aniagolu-Okoye stated that the Ford Foundation is passionate about creating a more sustainable philanthropic community for Africa, and is currently showcasing that through initiatives such as the foundation’s local philanthropy engagements and match funding. Additionally, the office is in discussions with the Lagos Business School to design a capacity-building initiative for philanthropists and the heads of their Foundation to develop curriculums that align with their organisational needs.
The African Diaspora Philanthropy Dialogues is an initiative under the Ford Foundation OWA’s Sustainable Philanthropy Dialogue series, which seeks to strengthen philanthropy’s ecosystem of support by creating necessary conditions for philanthropy to thrive and address the mode of cooperation between stakeholders, define the expectations from each other, define the anticipated challenges and solutions that will move Nigeria and Africa closer to achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
