Author Archive:
Nina Blackwell
Shift power or completely transpose it? One organisation’s journey
Firelight was established in the late ‘90s in Silicon Valley as private philanthropy supporting children, youth and communities in Southern and Eastern Africa. But after a decade and a half of giving, we found ourselves …
We need a new vocabulary in global development
In our dedication to shifting power within ‘global development’, we have often reflected that one of the most overlooked but most influential aspects of any power structure is the language and terminology that we use …
It’s time for an honest dialogue about ‘shifting the power’
If we are not careful, many of our efforts to “shift power” in international philanthropy will not actually shift anything. Over the past several years, philanthropy for international aid and development has begun experimenting with …
How philanthropy can help to reimagine a better world rooted in justice, solidarity, and community
Over the past 18 months, many funders (philanthropic and otherwise) – struck by the realization that so many of our global development gains were tenuous and reliant upon outside INGO actors – have increasingly sought …
Effective support for community-based organisations will be critical in the African response to COVID-19
The COVID-19 virus has already wreaked havoc across the east and the west, yet shows little sign of stopping soon. Loved ones are sick and dying, businesses are shut, movement is restricted, workers go without …
Believe in the power of communities
Community philanthropy is one of the most potent mechanisms for sustainable change in Africa. We aim to prove it by creating a theory and practice of support for community-based organizations (CBOs), enabling African CBOs to …
