All They Do Is Win, Win, Win
by Sarah Gioe, Director of Communications
When we launched the African Visionary Fellowship in early 2017, it was in response to realizing that, within our portfolio, organizations founded and led by non-Africans were growing twice as fast as those led by Africans. At that time, our portfolio of 212 organizations was 60% African-led and it was easy to highlight our highest-performing African-led organizations. We started offering capacity, community, and connections above and beyond our normal Active Partnership support.
Eight years later, how we deliver the content of the fellowship has changed but the rockstar status of our African Visionary Fellows has not. Fellows are now receiving personalized coaching, access to a global network of like-minded leaders, and connections to funding opportunities. They are still delivering impact across the continent, still winning awards, still reaping external recognition, still earning increased revenue. These days, our portfolio has grown (to 350+ grantee partners) and 89% of our partners are African-led. The Fellowship is giving a platform to elite changemakers who are blazing trails from law and livelihoods to water and health.
There’s no question that our Fellows are being noticed. In the past year alone, two African Visionary Fellows — Mpindi Abaas of Media Challenge Initiative and Isabelle Kamariza of Solid’Africa — won The 2024 Elevate Prize. Brian Walusimbi of Bless a Child Foundation was an Elevate Prize finalist and a 2024 Skoll Fellow. Sheria Kiganjani co-founder Neema Magimba was chosen as one of the 100 remarkable female lawyers from Sub-Saharan Africa while Emerge Livelihoods (formerly Mzuzu E-Hub) founder Wangiwe Joanna Kamubzi was named one of Wealth Malawi’s 100 Inspiring Women in Malawi. Clinic+O founder Nasser Diallo was chosen as one of African Diaspora Network’s 2024 Builders of Africa’s Future. To top it off, Twende’s John Rexford Nzira and Spring Communities’ Hardy Ruremesha were selected as 2024 Mandela Washington Fellows.
You don’t have to look back far to find more accolades. ACADES, Tingathe, and Wandikweza won the 2023 Zikomo Presidential Awards in Malawi. Two Fellows — Patience Musiwa Mkandawire and Peter Kwame Mwakio — were picked as Obama Scholars to study at Columbia University for a full academic year. And a number of our AVFers pull double duty as Ashoka Africa Fellows: Hastings Nhlane, ACADES; Isabelle Kamariza, Solid’Africa; and Muthi Nhlema, BASEflow.
We’ve seen African Visionary Fellows featured in Forbes (“‘The Power To Change History’: How This Ugandan Entrepreneur Is Challenging Long-Held Narratives With Solutions Journalism”), Fortune (“Healthy women help everyone rise — I’ve seen it in Kenya”), and Al Jazeera (“All for Science: Science learning through play in Tanzania”). Fundi Bots even showed up on a billboard in Times Square.
It’s terrific to see these changemakers getting the exposure they deserve. What’s even better, however, is seeing the Fellows getting the funding they need. Local organizations frequently experience difficulties accessing the valuable resources required to grow. Our Equitable Giving team works to increase additional value to our partners and has secured an average of $430K more funding per Fellow from other funders. In addition, the budgets of our African Visionary Fellows are growing. When we surveyed Fellows in 2020, 95% confirmed that they had either doubled or tripled their funding or acquired long-term funding. And with eight years of data under our belts, we have seen on average that Fellows earn 1.7x more revenue after two years of the fellowship, later increasing to 2.2x more revenue after three years.
Increased revenue allows for greater impact and we’re already blown away by what the Fellows are doing. From Victoria Marwa Heilman addressing housing challenges in impoverished communities through Tanzania Women Architects for Humanity to Manzi Norman running a global fashion brand through Dream Village — we have seen these leaders making a difference. From Armand Ijimbere ensuring hospitalization with dignity in Burundi through Nacham Africa to Patience Khembo improving learning outcomes in Malawi through Ladder to Learning, the African Visionary Fellows are transforming lives, across the continent.
“The African Visionary Fellowship celebrates and uplifts grassroots leaders who intimately understand their communities’ challenges and potential,” says Beatrice Onyango, Senior Equitable Giving Manager. “The Fellowship empowers these visionaries to scale their bold ideas into impactful, sustainable solutions. It reinforces the truth that African leaders are not just capable of creating change — they are at the forefront of redefining leadership and driving meaningful progress.”
