Youth Group Energizes African Grantmakers’ Conference

The author describes the energizing affect of the African Youth in Philanthropy conference during the third African Grantmakers Network (AGN) Assembly, held in 2015 at the International Conference Center in Arusha, Tanzania. Young people challenged the agenda that was not sufficiently inclusive of them and their interests. The panelists for the session on ‘Harnessing the Power of Young People’ raised important questions about who is included in setting the priorities for African philanthropy, and pushed back on the notion that young people should listen and not voice their opinion about how they view the issues under discussion. During the caucus session on the final day, the young people formed their own caucus on youth in philanthropy that attracted a multigenerational mix of participants.

The author also describes other highlights of the assembly, the theme of which was ‘People, Policy and Practise’.