An activist-led fund dedicated to strengthening and supporting a West African movement for gender diversity and sexual rights by adopting a flexible approach to grant-making and building a culture of philanthropy committed to equality and social justice.

Initiative Sankofa d’Afrique de l’Ouest – ISDAO is pleased to announce the publication of Moving with the Movement: 2019 Annual Report. This document, ISDAO’s first public annual report, presents an overview of ISDAO’s work undertaken in 2019 as an activist-led fund for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) organizing in West Africa. Highlights include the including hiring of its first staff members, development of the Activist Grantmaking Panel, as well as completing an inaugural grantmaking cycle resulting in 27 grants made to groups and organizations in 7 countries in the region. Overall, the report speaks to the many ways in which ISDAO is deepening its reach and further anchoring within the LGBTQI movement in West Africa.

This report highlights the important progress that ISDAO has made over the past year, not only in direct grantmaking, but also in amplifying the visibility, leadership and voices of West African LGBTQI activists across both digital and physical advocacy and movement organizing spaces. The report includes some perspectives from grantee partners as well as ISDAO’s own learning and reflections from the year.

Finally, this report speaks to our growing role in influencing and philanthropic advocacy, with the aim of expanding and improving opportunities and resources that both align with and respond to the priorities, goals and aspirations of LGBTQI communities across West Africa.

We look forward to continuing to create, build and strengthen partnerships in 2020 and beyond that will further our vision of a just and inclusive West Africa, in 2020 and beyond.

B. Caroline Kouassiaman

Executive Director

Press contact: [email protected]