Investors’ perspectives: Zooming in from 10,000 feet
As the ‘next gen’ successor to capital markets focused on a single bottom line, impact investing is at a fascinating juncture. The loss of confidence in banks and mainstream investments appears to be...
View ArticleWINGS: Consultation on accountability kicks off in Africa and Arab region
In Cairo in September, WINGS brought together 29 network members from Africa and the Arab region for a workshop on ‘Improving the Accountability of International Philanthropy’. Co-hosted by the Arab...
View ArticleNetworking among the urban poor
Networking is seen as the apple pie in development ... everyone says it’s good and organizations are urged to do it, regardless of what categories of association or organization they are part of. In...
View ArticleAGN – marching on optimistically
In the world of philanthropy networks, the African Grantmakers Network (AGN) is a very new one. What is its vision and what is needed to realize it? What will it take to make this new association into...
View ArticleAfrican Grantmakers Network Assembly
What is different about African philanthropy compared to ‘northern’ philanthropy? That was one of the most debated questions at this landmark conference, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 October...
View Article‘It’s our turn to eat’: reflections from the AGN
The opening plenary of day two of the African Grantmakers Network Assembly, held 29 October to 2 November in Johannesburg, South Africa, focused on youth – or, more specifically, on the relationship...
View ArticleAfrican Grantmakers Network Assembly: What’s new? Now? Different?
At the outset let me say that these blogging notes are my own impressions of key themes emerging from a fantastically rich African Grantmakers Network Assembly experience. I am not aspiring to cover...
View ArticleShifting currents in African philanthropy
Reflecting on African philanthropy as a homogeneous topic is like trying to climb more than one mountain at the same time. Impossible. First, the formal philanthropy sector in Africa, though relatively...
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Interview - Tony O Elumelu
‘For Africa the issue of commercial vs impact investing is not important. What is important is investing in sustainable solutions.’In 2010, leading African businessman Tony Elumelu set up the...
View ArticleInterview - Stephen Dawson
‘The term impact investing is so broad, I think there’s a danger of disappointment when people actually find out what it’s about.’read more
View ArticleAfrican Philanthropy Forum launched
Just six months after the African Grantmakers Network held its extremely successful second assembly in Johannesburg [1], a new network of African philanthropists, the African Philanthropy Forum (APF),...
View ArticleAfrican Grantmakers Network - A new narrative of African philanthropy
The term philanthropy has, by default, long referred to institutional or large-scale individual giving. Within the African context, however, these narrow connotations tell only a small slice of the...
View ArticleLet a hundred flowers blossom
Internationally, there is a huge range of philanthropic practices. Africa has a deep, generations-old tradition of philanthropy, albeit under-acknowledged. Indeed, we should be speaking about...
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No time to falter: foundations in a changing landscape
Introducing the Alliance Breakfast Club on 25 July, held in London and hosted by the Shell Foundation, Anthony Tomei, guest editor for the June special feature on ‘Philanthropy in a changing world...
View ArticleAGN - Resources for building sustainable philanthropy in Africa
According to the MDGs 2013 progress chart, Sub-Saharan Africa is making insufficient progress on developing global partnerships. In the world of African foundations, at least, this situation is...
View ArticleMaking a splash about wells not working
An independent study conducted by a French NGO in Sierra Leone at the end of 2010, and funded by Pro Victimis Foundation, surveyed all existing water access points across three districts, documenting...
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