Decolonising Philanthropy – Adjusting the Balance of Power for Good
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to challenge the colonial underpinnings of philanthropic practices and shift power dynamics towards those directly impacted by funding decisions. This imperative undertaking of decolonizing development, grant-making, and philanthropy is an ambitious task, and one that requires a great deal of sectoral reflection, awareness and willingness to effect change by listening to the needs and realities of the beneficiaries.
Decolonizing philanthropy entails reevaluating where decision-making power resides and ensuring that those who have benefited less from historical wealth creation are given agency/power to shape the programs and initiatives that affect them. It requires acknowledging and respecting the cultural realities and contexts within which these partnerships operate, moving away from top-down approaches that prioritize funder perspectives. As we seek to repair the damages of wealth creation and forge a more equitable path forward, it is crucial to learn from the experiences of both philanthropists and implementers in navigating and rebalancing power dynamics.
This panel hosted by Giving Women will bring together funders, local implementing partners and advisors, to unpack tangible examples and best practices around how we can all work together, to take actionable steps to make progress. This includes reflecting on what has worked well, as well as acknowledging failures and areas for improvement.
Takhani Bonnet, Giving Women member and independent consultant for private sector philanthropy and sustainable investing will moderate the conversation with:
Alishia Fernandez Miranda: Founder and Chair, I. G. Advisors
Dr. Abiodun Adereni: Founder & CEO, HelpMum Africa
GAURI MAHENDRA, CO-founder, UMEED
Susan Snider: Vice President of Strategy, Innovation and Impact, Equality Fund
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Takhani Bonnet
Giving Women member and independent consultant for private sector philanthropy and sustainable investing; most recently, with the United Nations, Edmond de Rothchild Banque Privee and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation.
Alisha Fernandez Miranda
Alisha has dedicated her career to fixing the resource flow to make social impact a more inclusive, efficient space. She serves as Chair and former CEO of I.G. Advisors, an award-winning global strategy consultancy specialising in social and environmental change, advising the world’s biggest nonprofits, foundations, and corporations on their philanthropy and social initiatives.
A graduate of Harvard University and the London School of Economics, her first book, My What If Year was released in 2023. She’s appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC, NPR and many other outlets and her writing has been featured widely, including in Vogue, Insider, Marie Claire, and Huffington Post.
Originally from Miami, she currently lives in Scotland with her husband and children. Follow Alisha on Instagram @alishafmiranda and her website at www.alishafmiranda.com.
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Dr. Abiodun Adereni
HelpMum is a social enterprise birthed with the mission to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria. This is done through the distribution of affordable Clean Birth kits to pregnant women in deprived and underserved communities, registration of mothers on a proprietary vaccination tracking system, training of community birth attendants using an E-learning platform, and complete renovation of the highly unhygienic and deteriorated state of community birth attendant homes.
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Gauri Mahendra
Gauri (Co - founder & President, UMEED) is a Master's in Human Resources and Knowledge Management from Lancaster University, UK and an alumnus of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) by the U.S. Department of State. With over 14+ years of work experience her work spans across both the corporate and development space. Gauri is extremely passionate about creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for low- income communities. She brings in sharp people management skills and has a strong bent for operational excellence.
UMEED is a registered non- profit, founded in 2014, with a vision to holistically promote women's empowerment. At UMEED we believe ‘An empowered woman is one who not only has the right to choose but also the right skill, mindset and exposure to make that choice and sustain it.’ With 9 years of experience on the ground working with women directly, Umeed launched FirstLeap, a job readiness and empowerment training program. FirstLeap is designed for women from marginalised sections in urban pockets. The program aims to make a meaningful and sustainable impact through a three - pronged approach of training women in monetizable skills, a strong confident mindset and the exposure to the world beyond their home.
