November 2025 was yet a defining month for the East Africa Philanthropy Network, marked by significant milestones that strengthened Africa’s philanthropic ecosystem, deepened regional collaboration, and amplified the continent’s culture of generosity.
The month opened with the landmark launch of the WINGS Africa Working Group, held from 5–7 November 2025. What was once a loose Regional Space for Africa formally transitioned into a structured continental working group, signaling the growing influence of African philanthropy infrastructure. The convening brought together 29 organizations from eight countries, with EAPN represented by a strong delegation that underscored its leadership role in building a unified philanthropic architecture for the continent. Over three days, participants mapped shared priorities, set governance frameworks, and designed cross-border collaboration pathways aimed at improving policy engagement and coordination. The energy of the convening reflected a clear shift across Africa, from fragmented giving practices to an interconnected, collaborative, and data-informed philanthropic movement capable of driving continent-wide change.
Later in the month, on 24–25 November 2025, EAPN travelled to Addis Ababa to convene Ethiopian philanthropic, academic, and social enterprise leaders for a two-day learning exchange organized in partnership with the Philanthropy Forum of Ethiopia, ICEA LION, and Ashoka. The focus of the convening was twofold: advancing endowment thinking as a pathway to long-term institutional stability, and exploring social entrepreneurship as a complementary funding model for mission-driven work. Participants engaged with insights from the Addis Ababa University Endowment Fund and examined locally rooted approaches to building financial resilience, particularly how organizations can mobilize domestic capital to build cushions against funding shocks. The discussions reaffirmed EAPN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening domestic resource mobilization and institutional permanence across East Africa. Among the strongest takeaways from the dialogue was the reminder that while earned revenue is a promising model, it must always remain mission-aligned; revenue generation cannot come at the expense of purpose.
The final week of November deepened this conversation. On 28 November, EAPN highlighted insights from engagements in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, emphasizing the importance of endowment-building through consistent, creative, community-driven giving rather than relying on one-time windfalls. Earlier, on 27 November, discussions reflected on the realities of earned revenue for nonprofit organizations, underscoring both its potential and the risk of mission drift if not approached thoughtfully. These messages reinforced EAPN’s central message throughout the month: sustainable philanthropy in East Africa must emerge from grounded, locally guided financial strategies that center mission, community, and long-term resilience.
Beyond EAPN’s initiatives, this edition features compelling contributions from our members and partners who continue to catalyze meaningful change across diverse contexts. Their work responds to emerging sectoral and regional challenges, offering practical insights and reaffirming the transformative impact of strategic collaboration and values-driven leadership.
As we look ahead to our end-of-year engagements, both from the Secretariat and across our membership, we warmly encourage your continued participation. Your insights, presence, and contributions are vital to strengthening our collective agenda. We invite you to engage, contribute, and co-create.
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Sincerely, Evans Okinyi CEO – East Africa Philanthropy Network.
