African Collaborative: Insider Report, July-Dec 2025

OURPORTFOLIOOFPARTNERS

KEYSTORY:UNVEILINGOURIMPACT

BEHINDTHESCENES PARTNERHIGHLIGHTS WHAT’SNEXTFORUS? 3 10 4 13 6 18

LETTERFROM THECO-CEOS

Dear Friends of the Collaborative,

The second half of 2025 brought meaningful milestones for our partners and African Collaborative From anniversaries and global recognition to leadership transitions and policy wins, July to December 2025 showcased the strength of locally led organizations driving change in their communities

Even amid continued funding uncertainties, our partners’ work remained bold, resilient, and deeply rooted. One truth continues to stand out: proximate leaders are delivering transformative impact. Across health, education, gender equity, and livelihoods, our partners restored critical services, influenced national policies, launched innovative models, and received prestigious awards. These moments reflect years of sustained effort and community trust.

While many organizations continued to navigate the effects of global funding cuts, we also witnessed renewed momentum through peer learning exchanges, regional gatherings, leadership evolution, and growing collaboration across our network.

At the same time, we continued to strengthen our organizational infrastructure We expanded our board, completed our first independent audit, took steps to deepen our regional presence, and published our first impact report. We also launched our fifth grantmaking cycle, our largest and most competitive to date! 6,904 applications were started, and 3,176 were ultimately submitted from 44 Sub-Saharan countries, highlighting the scale of need and interest in African Collaborative’s model and approach

Looking ahead to the rest of 2026, you can catch our team and partners at upcoming gatherings, including Skoll World Forum, Women Deliver, African Philanthropy Forum and more. We are looking forward to connecting with peers across the sector.

Thank you for walking with us. We are thrilled to share this journey and these updates with you.

With gratitude

Atti Worku

Katie Bunten-Wamaru

OURPORTFOLIO OFPARTNERS

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13 partners countries women-led in unrestricted funding committed since 2021 $10,600,000

Our partners are driving transformative impact across key sectors, including gender equity, livelihoods, education, health, climate & environment, human rights, and technology.

Together, we are driving impact for a future of Africa that is for and led by Africans.

Malawi

ACADES

Chimpembere Community Development Organization (CCDO)

Njira Impact Rays of Hope

Nigeria

Blossom Academy

Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust

Burundi

Faith in Action Africa SaCoDé

Democratic Republic of Congo CIYOTA

Ethiopia Drop of Water Kidame Mart

Ghana Blossom Academy Regional Advisory Information and Network Systems (RAINS)

Kenya AkiraChix Clean Start Solutions

Dandelion Africa Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation (EMKF) This Ability

Liberia

Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP)

Rwanda Blossom Academy Uwezo Youth Empowerment

Wandikweza Zambia

Tanzania

Msichana Initiative

Shule Direct

The Community Forest Conservation Network of Tanzania (MJUMITA)

WoteSawa Domestic Workers Organization

Gender Mobile Initiative HelpMum WAVE

Women’s Health and Equal Rights Initiative (WHER)

Uganda Barefoot Law Bless a Child Foundation CIYOTA Fundi Bots

Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS)

Wezesha Impact

Primrose Community Health Organization (PRICHO)

Zimbabwe Friendship Bench

PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS

THESECONDHALFOF2025WASFILLED WITHMILESTONES,MEANINGFULWINS, ANDWELL-EARNEDRECOGNITIONFOR OURPARTNERS,FROMANNIVERSARIES ANDPRESTIGIOUSAWARDSTOSTRATEGIC COLLABORATIONSANDPROGRAMMATIC& LEADERSHIPSHIFTS.BELOWAREJUSTA FEWOFTHESTANDOUTHIGHLIGHTS:

PARTNERS’LEARNING&COLLABORATING

Partner Gatherings

Ethiopia: Drop of Water and Kidame Mart came together in late August for an in-country partner gathering in Ethiopia They shared their work, learned about each organization’s initiatives, and built stronger connections–creating a lively space for collaboration and mutual understanding

Burundi: In August, Faith in Action Africa and SaCoDé met in Bujumbura, Burundi, for a regional peer-learning exchange reflecting on their journeys, sharing lessons, and strengthening in-country solidarity.

Read more and explore the full gallery from these gatherings on our blog here.

Partner Connections

Primrose Community Health Organization’s (PriCHO) CEO, Kenan Ng'ambi, connected with and visited Wandikweza in early November 2025. Kenan has been wanting to refine and expand PriCHO’s model to work with Community Health Workers, and this visit provided an opportunity to learn directly from Wandikweza’s approach. During the visit, Kenan gained critical insights that he is eager to apply to PriCHO’s work. We look forward to seeing how this connection will continue to unfold and develop.

ORGANIZATIONALANNIVERSARIES

Gender Mobile Initiative celebrated their 8th year anniversary, marking eight years of working to end sexual and gender-based violence and advance gender justice in Nigeria.

In October, DRASA Health Trust hosted a hybrid event in Abuja, Nigeria celebrating 10 years of protecting health and transforming lives through disease prevention efforts.

KEEP Liberia celebrated their 11 year anniversary, highlighting their work championing literacy and education across Liberia by building reading rooms and establishing key partnerships and promoting policy shifts.

LEADERSHIPSHIFTSANDCHANGES

Drop of Water has adopted a co-leadership model Hermella Wondimu Woldehana will continue serving as the Executive Director, focused on partnerships and fundraising in the U S , while Elfaz Kassa, Co-Executive DirectorEthiopia, will provide deeper in-country leadership

Esther Tumbare has joined as Friendship Bench’s new CEO, succeeding founder Dr Dixon Chibanda With 25+ years of experience in public and mental health, Esther is committed to expanding access to care Hear from Esther

Consolata Chikoti joined Msichana Initiative as Executive Director in August 2025, coleading the organization with Founder Rebeca Gyumi through December 2025 A seasoned feminist leader, she advances girls’ rights across Tanzania and beyond Learn more

Ifeanyi Perry was confirmed as WAVE’s new CEO following a year of service as Interim CEO

resilience & transformation

Wandikweza transitioned its Nurses on Bikes program into Midwives on Wheels The program is now fully integrated into the government health system, and allows them to reach even more people in Malawi.

Blossom Academy concluded a rigorous two-year RCT with positive results that affirm the impact of their model. Their approach addresses Africa’s tech skills gap by offering fellowships that equip youth with the aptitude and skills to become industry-ready data professionals.

AkiraChix’s Co-Founder & Executive Director, Linda Kamau, published an impactful & influential piece titled, The Fragile Reality of Development and How to Fix It In it, she highlights the global challenges nonprofits face and urges funders to provide long-term, flexible support to ensure lasting impact. Read more.

In July, Drop of Water completed the restoration of a water point in Tigray, Ethiopia, a critical milestone after the facility had been out of service for four years due to war. The project restored vital access to clean water for the community

Friendship Bench won the Pivotal Ventures and Lever for Change’s Action for Women’s Health Award to advance women’s mental and physical health worldwide.

One of KEEP Liberia’s key policies, The National Student Handbook, was officially approved by the government after nearly a year of development The handbook establishes formal guidelines and empowers students and parents to challenge wrongful expulsions and mistreatment in schools.

In November 2025, MJUMITA’s Executive Di Rahima Njaidi, was honored with the prestig Tusk Conservation Award Africa, which recog outstanding African conservationists making significant contributions to wildlife protectio environmental sustainability

As part of its advocacy work, Gender Mobile Initiative released a short film confronting silence, challenging power, and exposing the lived realities of sexual harassment experienced by young women on campus. Watch it here.

Wezesha Impact hosted their National Wezesha Awards 2025. The awards celebrate outstanding youth-led enterprises with winners receiving seed capital grants and toolkits to scale their impact and create jobs.

KEYSTORY: WHATWELEARNED FROMLISTENING (DEEPLY) TOOURPARTNERS

This year African Collaborative released its first full Impact Report, an archive that preserves far more than numbers and statistics. The report captures the stories and lived realities of the African-led organizations we partner with across the continent. For the first time, we were able to look across years of reflections and field notes and ask: What is actually changing? What is the lived story behind the data? Where are we seeing patterns we can operationalize? The result was one of the most comprehensive pictures we’ve ever had of our collective impact.

When our Manager of Impact & Learning, Alfred Muli, joined the team last year, he inherited a vast constellation of information, annual partner reflections, MEL notes, site visit reports, budget and revenue histories, all shaped by different cohorts and moments in time. He was tasked with turning this raw material into usable insight. Utilizing Annual Partner Reflection (APR) surveys, where partners share their yearly strategies, data, successes, challenges, and opportunities, these insights became the backbone of our analysis. Additional development surveys helped fill the gaps. To ensure comparisons were accurate, Cohorts 1 and 2 (those with enough full-year data at the time of the report) formed the basis of the report’s core calculations.

Drawing out the stories behind the numbers Numbers alone were never the point. The goal was to bring qualitative insight and quantitative data into conversation, to make a clear business case for investing in African-led development and impact Alfred triangulated reflections with financial data, field visit notes, and post-APR conversations, and suddenly a human story began to emerge Many organizations started with very modest budgets In year two, almost all invested heavily in systems and partnerships, the quiet work of building strong foundations. By the third year, a different pattern appeared: our partners were scaling with clarity and with confidence. A 170% average increase in budget growth wasn’t just a statistic: it was evidence of intentional expansion driven by African leaders, intimately grounded in their own communities.

An inclusive process, honoring ownership and expertise

Across teams, this report became a collective effort. From Impact & Learning and Portfolio Services to Advocacy & Comms and our Co-CEOs, staff across the organization contributed Sibabalawe Mona, Senior Manager of Advocacy & Strategy, distilled months of analysis into key insights that sit at the heart of the report This evidence allows us to position our partners as the experts they are.

Input was not limited to our staff, the report was a shared learning process rather than a top-down analysis. Partners, funders, and network supporters were essential contributors, ensuring insights and the final shape of the report were grounded in accountability and lived experience Every quote and figure was verified directly with organizations before publication, honoring their ownership of their stories

Even before the report was finalized, we shared emerging findings with funders and invited them into the learning process. This culminated in our UNGA luncheon, where we publicly unveiled the report. The response across our community was immediate and it was energizing: funders created channels to discuss the report, partners shared it across their many platforms. Supporters reached out with actionoriented prompts: How can we help? What role are we meant to play? What do these insights unlock for the philanthropic field at large?

The next chapter: from insight to strategy

Looking ahead, this report marks the beginning of a new chapter for us In a time of significant international funding contraction, this report offers a timely counter-narrative, one that demonstrates what is possible when African-led organizations are resourced to lead. Internally we will use this evidence to refine our Theory of Change and to build a more robust Monitoring & Learning framework that is grounded fully in the realities of our partners.

New questions have emerged, for example: why are women-led organizations raising dollars at a slower pace? We will pursue deeper analysis and interviews in order to understand the context behind these disparities. But perhaps the most powerful learning from this process is simple: African organizations are delivering extraordinary, system-shifting impact. The brilliance, the expertise, the know-how, has always been there This report simply gives us the evidence and clarity to show the world what we’ve long known: that African-led organizations are not just implementing temporary solutions, they are shaping the future of the continent.

BEHINDTHESCENES

STRENGTHENINGOURGOVERNANCE

We welcomed two new board members, Akua Gyekye and Clara Ngando, in August following a rigorous recruitment process in partnership with The Boardroom Africa. The addition of four new members in 2025 brings our Board total to 12. Clara brings deep CFO-level financial expertise, while Akua offers extensive cross-sector experience across tech, law, finance, and international development. Both have already begun

contributing meaningfully behind the scenes, and we believe their leadership will further strengthen our work moving forward.

NEWCOLLABORATORS

In October, we brought on Naya Samuels as a Storytelling Strategy Consultant. Naya is a well-rounded creative strategist based between Brooklyn and Trinidad & Tobago, who offers a culture-rooted approach to storytelling. With over a decade of experience in strategy, PR, writing, and production, she has collaborated with artists, brands, and cultural organizations to bring powerful stories to life. She will play a major role in developing compelling, people-centered stories that highlight our partners’ work and the Collaborative’s impact

In February 2025, we engaged CANOE, a nonprofit operations consulting firm, to support our operations and compliance. Their work was so effective that in September we expanded their role to include financial management, onboarding a fractional CFO, Nam Dinh, and Bookkeeper, Jethro Celestin.

FIRSTAUDITMILESTONE

We completed our inaugural audit as an independent 501(c)(3). We are pleased to report a clean and successful outcome!

STRENGTHENINGREGIONALPRESENCE

This year, our Board approved local registration in Mauritius, expanding our regional footprint and providing more flexibility and increased stability The registration marks an important milestone We have been planning to register on the African continent for several years following the finalization of our 501(c) (3) status.

RECORD-BREAKINGAPPLICATIONSFOROURFIFTHGRANTMAKINGCYCLE

On August 19, we launched our fifth grantmaking cycle, the first powered by our new Salesforce application platform. Over the month-long application period, 6,904 organizations started applications, and 3,176 completed them. We received applicants from 44 Sub-Saharan African countries.

We were inspired by the diversity of this year’s applicant pool After completing our basic eligibility assessment and reputational reviews, including financial checks, 974 organizations advanced to the next stage of the process. Our team is now conducting deeper due diligence. Given the exceptionally high volume of strong applicants and our commitment to a thorough selection process, we will now onboard and announce new partners in early 2026.

LIVELIHOODS

CONFERENCEATTENDANCE ANDSPEAKINGENGAGEMENTS

Innovations in International Philanthropy Symposium (Boston, September)

Shamira Lukomwa (Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships) & Mena Kalokoh (Coordinator, Strategic Partnerships) attended the Innovations in International Philanthropy Symposium, which brought together funders, innovators, and social sector leaders. The conference highlighted the urgent need for action in global philanthropy.

Tarrytown

(Tarrytown, New York November)

Shamira Lukomwa attended and spoke at two panels at Schmoozefest, a gathering of development and philanthropy leaders that provided a space to share challenges and pivotal moments during this period.

(Nairobi, September)

Why Your Concept Note/Proposal Was Selected or Not

Just after the launch of our improved open application system, Julie Khamati (Senior Coordinator, Portfolio Services) spoke at an event hosted by AMPLIFY Girls in Nairobi where she talked about our grantmaking model & selection process Read more

UNGA

Week (New York City, September)

Katie Bunten-Wamaru (Co-CEO) was a panelist at “The Power of Collaboration in a Rapidly Changing Global Health and Development Environment”, co-hosted by Bridgespan Group and the Gates Foundation on September 22nd. The discussion highlighted the impact of recent aid cuts, opportunities to build more equitable systems, and the unique strengths of collaborative funds in translating philanthropic commitments into community impact

Katie Bunten-Wamaru sat with Gerald Abila of BarefootLaw during our Impact Insights Report Lunch on Sept 25 The session featured a preview of our report Fueling Transformation and sparked action-oriented dialogue on genuine partnership, long-term investment, and supporting locally led development in Africa. Read more.

Community-Driven Change: Reimagining Health Systems

(Webinar, Nov. 12th)

Atti Worku (Co-CEO) spoke alongside Dan Nthara from Njira Impact on a webinar hosted by The Bridgespan Group about communitydriven change in African health systems, focusing on shifting from external control to local agency Watch the recording here

WISE 12 Summit (Doha,

November)

Nafi Sene (Senior Manager, Portfolio Services) attended WISE 12 in Doha, Qatar, where the conference theme, “Humanity at the Heart of Education,” emphasized the ethical integration of AI into education systems. The event provided a valuable networking platform. Highlights included a compelling presentation by Omowumi Ogunrotimi, Founder and Executive Director of Gender Mobile Initiative. We look forward to seeing more of our partners attend in the future.

Skoll Centre’s Philanthropy Studio (Oxford, December)

Atti Worku traveled to Oxford for the Skoll Centre’s Philanthropy Studio, a gathering of leaders and experts exploring what philanthropy needs to look like in the 21st century.

PUBLICATIONS

Alfred Muli (Manager, Impact & Learning) & Sibabalwe Mona (Senior Manager, Advocacy & Strategy) were featured in ODI Global’s Report, An Evidence Library on Locally Led Development (LLD): Making the Case, exploring the idea of creating a resource to bring together lessons, knowledge, and evidence on locally-led development in one accessible space.

African Collaborative published Fueling Transformation: The Impact of Funding African-led Innovation, our Impact Report from our first fund. By centering African leadership, the report illustrates a path to more effective and lasting development outcomes

We were featured in Bridgespan’s report, The Power of Collaboration at a Time of Volatility in Global Health and Development The report explores the impact of the international aid cuts, the importance of philanthropic collaboration, and how this moment offers an opportunity to rebuild systems that are more just, resilient and locally rooted

TEAMRETREATS&GATHERINGS

In August, Co-CEO Atti Worku joined the Portfolio Services, Grantmaking Systems, and Impact & Learning teams in Nairobi to strategize for the upcoming 5th grantmaking cycle They used the time to conduct a comprehensive in-person review of the then-unlaunched open application system by live-demoing the platform, testing features, and compiling feedback While the gathering was highly productive, it was also a valuable team-bonding opportunity

In November, our team co-hosted a Women Funders meetup in Nairobi with Partners for Equity and Echidna Giving. The event provided an opportunity to engage and network within the broader philanthropic and development community, further strengthening these connections. It also served as an end-of-year celebration

Also in August, the Strategic Partnerships team, alongside the Co-CEOs, held a hybrid retreat to review progress and accomplishments so far, while strategizing for the remainder of the year. The retreat also provided an opportunity for the team to connect and align on priorities for the months ahead.

In early September, our Communications and Impact & Learning teams, along with Co-CEO Katie Bunten-Wamaru, gathered in Charlottesville to finalize our impact report. The team used the dedicated time to review the design, polish content, and ensure all details were aligned before publication.

WHAT’SNEXT FORUS?

ASWELOOKAHEADTOTHEFIRSTHALFOF 2026,WEARELOOKINGFORWARDTO:

Selecting and introducing our fifth cohort of partners in 2026.

Given the diversity and volume of applications we received through our open application system, our team is especially excited to share these new partnerships!

Taking a deeper dive into our partners’ impact and work in 2025 through our Annual Partner Reflection (APR), especially in light of the challenges created by the global funding cuts.

The APR is an opportunity for partners to share their impact and challenges while also offering a valuable space for them to provide feedback to our team.

You can catch us at these spring gatherings.

If you see our team, say hi—we’d love to connect!

March 5–7: Forward Global Summit, Whistler, Canada

April 21–24: Skoll World Forum, Oxford, UK

April 27–29: AfricaXchange, Nairobi, Kenya

April 27–30: Women Deliver, Melbourne, Australia