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Summary
The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights concluded a three-month intergenerational feminist mentorship programme, equipping participants with sustainability strategies, leadership skills, and advocacy tools to strengthen feminist movements across West Africa.
Following a rigorous intergenerational mentorship programme that started with virtual training on November 19, 2024, the West Africa Civil Society Institute, in Partnership with BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, concluded its training on February 28, 2025.
The mentorship programme included three generations of feminists from West African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo, who shared cross-cultural and age-long knowledge. In a one-week capacity-building workshop held at Wetland Hotel in Abuja, mentors shared various organisational sustainability strategies with the participants.
Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, executive director of Project Alert and Feminist, grounded participants on the history of the feminist movement, the feminist coalitions and networks that exist, and how to build sustainable relationships between the older generation of feminists and younger ones. She also taught participants about feminist principles and urged them to have in-depth knowledge of feminist theories and the charter of feminist principles.
Similarly, Bunmi Dipo-Salami, executive director of BAOBAB for Women Human Rights, helped mentees understand feminist leadership, explaining that organisational leaders must always practice feminist principles within and outside the organisations. She also noted that the personal often becomes political; as such, individuals should embody feminist principles throughout their lives. She advised mentees to also build long-lasting relationships with their mentors. Following her session, mentors and mentees also shared their personal experiences rooted in their unique experiences as women. This session helped to build the sisterhood connection amongst the participants as they encouraged one another.
On networking, Esther Tawiah, executive director of the Gender Centre for Empowering Development and Ghanaian feminists, impressed upon participants the importance of building strong professional and activist relationships. She explained that relationships formed over the years can help participants gain invaluable opportunities. As such, participants were encouraged to make lifelong friendships through the programme.
Ini Abimbola, business executive and lead consultant of ThistlePraxis Consulting Limited taught participants how to build a solid organisational institution. She shared with mentees the key organisational development principles, including fairness, transparency, and effective communication. She also elaborated on the roles of Board members in civil societies, encouraging them to prioritise functionality in board selection over decorative board members with impressive profiles.
She urged participants to strategically position their brand externally, leveraging online communications to enhance visibility. She further shared financial sustainability strategies with mentees, including leveraging investments, funding, and donations to secure various income sources and types to ensure their organisation’s transition from start-up to legacy.
Diving into funding, Charles Vandyck, Head of the Capacity Development Unit at WACSI, taught participants how to raise local funding. He shared strategies to address the challenges the stakeholders of CSOs in training are facing regarding fundraising. He urged participants to build resilience in raising funds and continually nurture positive relationships with donors when they get grants.
Following the training, participants said they learned a lot and felt more empowered to be agents of change. Oluwadunsin Adesanya, the communications and programmes assistant for the Child and Youth Protection Foundation, said,
“The programme has been mentally challenging and has provided a pathway for me to do more. I have also learned the importance of being financially independent, especially as a woman.”
Similarly, Abibata Alhassan, a Centre for Women in Development and Public Policy member, said she had learned the importance of acquiring knowledge, engaging in self-care, and caring for her mental health.
While the mentees said they learned much during the training, mentors shared a similar sentiment. Ms Esther said the programme is timely because the civil space continually changes, and stakeholders must strategise how to adapt. Ms Bunmi, however, shared that it is heartwarming to see the power of mentoring in the participants who have become more self-assured through the training.
As the programme concluded, mentees were certified as feminist leaders who had participated in a rigorous three-month intensive training. Omolara Balogun, the Head of Policy Influencing and Advocacy Unity and Country Lead, WACSI Node Nigeria, thanked stakeholders for participating in the programme on behalf of the executive director of WACSI, Nana Afadzinu, and urged the mentees to translate the knowledge gained into nation-building.
“Let us continue the spirit of collaboration and build a dynamic and inclusive feminist movement for a just society,” Ms Omolara added.
