I started my career in television and film and adored every second during the hours of work, massive shoots and the interaction of wonderful people. However, after fifteen years, it was the right time to move on to something totally different. My body couldn’t endure the pressure.
Why Did I Call Our Charity, Cameras For Girls?
Many people inquire about why I named our project Cameras For Girls when we provide training to young women. In many African countries, young girls and women are referred to as “girl-child.”
Learn more about our programs here.
How Feminism and Philanthropy Go Hand in Hand?
The world of philanthropy and feminists may appear to be distinct two distinct entities, but they have something in the same. Both focus on empowerment and making positive changes for communities who are marginalized. Our case is that this is in line with our efforts to achieve working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly #1 – No Poverty, #5: Gender Equality, and #8 – Good Employment and Economic Growth.
The act of giving time, money, or other resources to charities. Feminism is, on the other hand a conviction that there is social, economic, political, and equality between men and women. Although the definitions could be distinct, they share the same goal of creating an equitable and more fair society.
If we consider philanthropy with a feminist lens and see the ways in which it can be utilized to facilitate social transformation. The past has seen philanthropy heavily dominated by wealthy white men who have used their wealth to fund causes that might not necessarily benefit communities with marginalized populations. Feminist philanthropy aims to change this paradigm by focusing on the needs and voices of women people of color, and other groups that are marginalized.
I was able to witness the incredible power of philanthropy by women when I was at the Lily School of Philanthropy’s WPI – All in All Rise Symposium in Chicago in March 2023. Women from all over the globe gathered over three days to talk about their victories and struggles in the fight to create better society for women of every aspect of their lives.
As the CEO and founder of Cameras For Girls, I was enthralled and left feeling energized to continue fighting for my rights as a woman and charitable philanthropist in this work that I carry out every day.
How Feminist Philanthropy Has Changed The Traditional Model of Charity.
It also acknowledges the fact that traditional models of charity and giving are not effective in creating lasting changes. I was surprised to find that just two percent of the money raised is devoted to feminist-led charities or even less when women of color are in charge. Which way do you think it will leave us?
Feminist philanthropy doesn’t just mean about giving money away; it’s about making use of our influence and resources to bring about changes in the system. This may include promoting policies that promote gender equality, and using our platforms to increase the voices of communities that are marginalized and challenging the system of oppression, particularly in masculine-dominated fields such as journalism and photography.
These are the objectives of Cameras For Girls as we explore greater African countries. But, we need to be mindful to keep the community and its involvement at the forefront of all we do.
As an ardent feminist and a as a philanthropist, it is my goal to utilize the techniques and strategies I’ve learned to help create an equitable and fair society. By focusing on the needs of communities that are marginalized and investing in programs that target the main causes of social inequality, We can build an environment where women have equal opportunity, and men and women succeed.
