About Us
"America’s Trusted Partner for African Giving"
Women across Africa are leading a new era in development. Despite being disproportionately impacted by a range of challenges, their creative initiatives are emerging as the most effective and sustainable solutions. African Women’s Development Fund USA (AWDF USA) understands and supports women’s unique ability to overcome obstacles and develop their own communities, regions, and countries.
Who We Are
AWDF USA was created by the Ghana-based African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), with a coalition of American women leaders, to spread awareness about the tremendous impact of African women-led organizations on communities across the continent. Through effective networking, collaboration and partnerships, we are focused on amplifying the contributions, achievements and voices of African women and girls in the Diaspora and across the continent. At the same time, we are facilitating a process to Expand Diasporic Philanthropy, recognizing the incredible impact including financial contributions that Africans and African-descended people around the world continue to make on the continent. AWDF USA seeks to highlight the role of young Africans are playing in philanthropy. As we celebrate philanthropy for Africa by Africans, we will also create space for intergenerational conversations to happen, and through this process merge seasoned wisdom and new energy to push our agenda forward.
We are excited and grateful for our partnerships with sister and peer organizations such as Global Fund for Women, Ford Foundation, Africa-America Institute, and New York Women’s Foundation. We are equally thrilled for the opportunities to collaborate and cultivate other strategic partnerships. AWDF USA is proud of the accomplishments of AWDF which since 2001 has provided $34.3 million in grants to 1,323 women’s organizations across 45 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
OUR CORE VALUES
- 1. The fundamental personhood of African and African diaspora women and that their rights are inalienable, indivisible and an integral part of universal human rights
- 2. Acknowledging, valuing and rewarding women’s paid and unpaid labor in society’s public and private spheres
- 3. Solidarity, partnerships, networking, promoting young women’s leadership, and inter-generational transfer of knowledge
- 4. Women’s power and leadership are essential for a successful society
- 5. African and African diaspora women’s diversity as well as the benefit of working with people of all backgrounds
- 6. The growth and long-term sustainability of organizations led and managed by women in a democratic, transparent and progressive manner
- 7. The Pan-African Women’s Movement is part of a broader movement within and outside Africa, aimed at creating an enabling environment for good governance, social justice, equality and economic empowerment that counters the negative impacts of globalization
- 8. Partnerships and alliances with men who are committed to the empowerment of women
- 9.Our work is part of a Global Women’s Movement, which has produced significant advances for women and girls and is sustained by the voices, hands and work of women from all over the world
- 10. Africa is the birthplace of all humanity; thus, we encourage and welcome Americans of all backgrounds to actively support the development of our shared Motherland
