Our Executive Director, Dr. Tendai Murisa, participated in the recently concluded East African Philanthropy Network Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, alongside other philanthropy leaders and professionals from across Africa. The gathering brought together over 500 distinguished professionals from across Africa, all dedicated to advancing the philanthropic landscape. The theme for the conference was “Agile Philanthropy: Adapting to Economic, Social, And Political Shifts”, coming at such a time where drastic shifts in the funding space are occurring.
Dr Murisa on Building Coherence in a Fragmented World
Dr Murisa joined a panel of experts to contribute to a session titled “Building Coherence in a Fragmented World”. The discussion provided a platform for thought leaders to exchange perspectives on fostering unity and collaboration within the philanthropic sector. This coined well with our current focus on the ecosystems approach to advancing philanthropy in Africa. Dr Murisa, together with Nadia Kist of Blood and Water and Kennedy Mugoshi of Hivos- East Africa, highlighted the urgent need for intentional institutional frameworks that support authentic collaboration amid complexity. The panel discussion also underscored that in most cases, the missing ingredient in fostering collaboration is alignment. Like in the ecosystems thinking, there should be an acknowledgement of the different actors and sectors that make philanthropy thrive and bring about transformative change.
“Philanthropy does not exist in silos but needs to harness collaboration with the private sector and the government”
Dr Tendai Murisa
Communities as Custodians of Development
Confirming our approach at SIVIO Institute, where communities are at the centre of driving development, the speakers stressed that communities are the custodians of their development. This supports the notion of “development with and for communities”. One of the speakers emphasised the need for leveraging the existing strengths within communities and recognizing them as experts in their own right.
In addition, they highlighted that African organizations face significant vulnerabilities, making it crucial for them to confront challenges head-on. There is a need for proactive storytelling rather than waiting for others to acknowledge their contributions. Another critical point made was on the need to address economic emancipation to encourage and sustain agency. Through it all, they reemphasised the need for collective action in driving systemic change with involvement from grassroots levels up to policymakers.
Navigating Global and Local Philanthropy
The discussion further highlighted the interplay between global philanthropy and local resources. It was noted that there is an increase of a mixture of global philanthropy and African resources, each with different agendas, and it’s worth navigating collaboratively.
The conference served as a valuable opportunity for networking, knowledge exchange, and collective reflection among individuals committed to positive social change.