Umsizi Fund 2023 Annual Report

Our 2023 Annual Report highlights our continued dedication to increasing economic opportunities for youth in Africa. One significant development outlined in the report is the creation and publication of criteria guiding our approach in grantmaking decisions. These criteria reflect a shift towards evaluating an organization's capacity to generate economic opportunities for young people, focusing on work experiences, confidence-building, and promoting youth agency at the beginning of their careers.

With a spotlight on partnerships, and proven impact, our report reflects our commitment to driving meaningful change. Explore the impactful stories of organizations like the African Leadership Academy, and Kliptown Youth Program, all aimed at bridging the gap between education and employment for young African.

Link to report: Umsizi Fund 2023 Annual Report

Filmmaker Mohamed Echkouna’s film released on Netflix

Mohamed Echkouna is one of the six winners of the ‘African Folktales, Reimagined short film competition, which Netflix created in association with UNESCO. The filmmaker from Mauritania won for his Arabic/French short film The Enmity Djinn. Umsizi Fund funded Mohamed to develop a proof of concept images that enabled him to pitch to Netflix and to create his first short film shot in Mauritania, Trails of Hope.

Eddie Oketch Elected to Kenyan Senate

Umsizi Fund supports young leaders who have the potential to create positive change in their communities. One exemplary leader is Eddie Oketch, the founder of Peace in Africa Development (PAD) and Ongoza. As one of the first funders of his work, Umsizi played a critical role in helping Eddie turn his vision into a reality. Today, he is a recognized leader in Kenya and beyond, known for his innovative approaches to peace-building and youth empowerment.

Umsizi added Melissa Mbazo to the team!

At Umsizi Fund, we recognize that we lack the lived experience of the populations we aspire to assist and that we come to this work with a legacy of inherited privileges. We recently added Melissa Mbazo as a consultant to help us build more just processes and decision-making. Melissa brings extensive experience in entrepreneurship, advocacy, and organizational development, particularly in the African context. Her role is to support the organization's shift towards more equitable grantmaking practices that prioritize African leadership and collaboration with local stakeholders. Her work has included revising the fund's grantmaking criteria, making it easier for organizations to understand who is eligible for support.

With her expertise and passion for impactful work, Melissa is already making a significant contribution to the Umsizi Fund's mission of promoting sustainable development across Africa.

AVFund Now Supports 25 African Visionaries

AVFund has taken an innovative approach to grantmaking with the aim of creating a more just system. The organization has implemented a participatory grantmaking process, an open application system, and offers multi-year unrestricted grants. Umsizi played a crucial role in supporting AVFund's launch as an independent entity by serving as a lead donor offering multi-year unrestricted funding and paying for the start-up team. With the addition of the third cohort, AVFund now supports 25 African Visionary Partners while also inviting funders to adopt more just philanthropic practices.