Ford Foundation seeks diaspora support to promote sustainable Africa

The Ford Foundation Office of West Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO), has implored Nigerians in the diaspora to support its work on environmental and development issues in the Niger Delta.

Speaking on Friday in London at the first edition of the ‘African Philanthropy Dialogues’ in collaboration with  PaTiTi Consulting, Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, regional director of the foundation, urged diasporans to carry out their philanthropic work through CSOs in Africa.   

Aniagolu-Okoye expressed concern over the dwindling philanthropic landscape in Africa, while harping on the opportunities available to diasporans in creating lasting change 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,” Aniagolu-Okoye said.

Theo Sowa, former director of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), said Africans must redefine their concept of philanthropy to create the needed sense of ownership in the continent’s philanthropic space.

Sowa explained that the only way Africans can address the issues back home is by investing in projects and initiatives and move away from the distrust storyline promulgated among Africans.

“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,” Sowa said.

“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.

“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.

“Therefore, let’s work together, through your funding so that we can see the transformation that we want on our continent.”

Panelists including Aniagolu-Okoye; Chukwuka Monye, managing partner of Ciuci Consulting; and Imma Ndey, people leader at Accenture; took turns to share practical lessons from their activities and initiatives in addressing some of Africa’s socio-economic issues.

There was also a fireside chat between Adam Heal, director of Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), and Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima, senior program officer at the Ford Foundation OWA, who presented participants with real-life experiences on how diaspora funding through local CSOs can make the needed change.