Meet Our Partner Organizations and Their Inspiring Leaders

We partner with African women-led organizations and social enterprises to co-create and fund community initiatives that advance leadership, wellness and economic resilience. We work side by side with women, youth, businesses, governments, academics, and funders committed to locally-led change.

Naret (Kenya)

NARET is a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women, youth, and marginalized communities in Laikipia, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Samburu counties in Kenya. Their mission is to improve lives through health initiatives, gender equality advocacy, and sustainable development programs. By addressing key challenges such as healthcare access, gender-based violence, and youth unemployment, they strive to create lasting change. Through collaboration with local and international partners, they implement impactful programs that foster resilience, equity, and opportunity for all.

Dr. Mayian Lekirimpoto, a medical doctor, is the founder and Executive Director of Naret, leading the organization’s strategic vision and partnerships. With a background in public health and social policy, she drives community-led development and advocacy. She is widely recognised for promoting women’s leadership, cultural integrity, and sustainable impact in underserved communities.

Havre de Paix (Benin)

HAVRE DE PAIX operates in the departments of Atacora, Alibori, and Donga, Benin. Its goal is to promote the well-being and development of young girls, children in difficult situations, and people living with disabilities or in situations of disability, in order to create a leverage effect.

Khadidjath Ketekoure leads Havre de Paix in Benin, an organisation dedicated to strengthening community well-being and social support systems. Under her guidance, the organisation develops initiatives that protect vulnerable populations and promote local resilience. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to service and sustainable impact.

Voice of Disability Initiative (Nigeria)

VOICE OF DISABILITY INITIATIVE (VDI) Initiative is committed to raising awareness about the protection of the rights of women, girls, and children with disabilities. Through community-based education and targeted advocacy campaigns, they engage elected officials, public institutions, and regulatory agencies to ensure offenders are held accountable. Their goal is to create a society where the rights of persons with disabilities are respected and upheld.

Barrister Catherine Edeh is the first Nigerian deaf, female lawyer and the Founder and Executive Director of the VDI. Her personal experience in a system that often overlooks women with disabilities fuels her passion for justice and inclusion. She co-created VDI to help confront the social, legal, and structural barriers that Nigerian women and girls with disabilities face.

MAP Afrique (Benin)

MAP AFRIQUE is a Beninese NGO founded in 2020 that supports young people and women in achieving self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship (agricultural and digital), skills building, financial inclusion, market access, and climate resilience. The organization operates primarily in Borgou, Alibori, Atacora, and Donga, with the goal of supporting 20,000 entrepreneurs by 2030. Accredited by the Beninese government for agricultural consulting (CEA, CAM, CGEA), it combines intensive training, savings and credit access, market access, digital solutions, and more intensive incubator programs. To date, MAP Afrique has enabled the way for over 3,000 young people in the North of Benin, the majority of whom are women, to gain their economic empowerment through structured pathways, sector-specific boot camps, and support for cooperatives. Their guiding principles: evidence of impact, greener value chains, and replicable economic models, community by community.