Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

Ms Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, wife of the Ekiti State Governor, was born in Liverpool, England on June 11th 1963. She attended Abeokuta Girls Grammar School (1973-1978) and Methodist Girls High School Lagos for A’ Levels (1978-1980). She has a BA (1984) and MA (1988) in History from the University of Ife, Nigeria. She also received an MA in Gender and Society (1992) from Middlesex University, UK. With an academic background in History, Cultural Anthropology and Gender studies, she has acquired professional experience as a social change philanthropist, social entrepreneur, journalist, facilitator, trainer, and organizational development specialist.

During her years in the UK, Ms Fayemi worked in the Department of Health and Social Services, and then became the Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), an international development organisation for African women based in London, UK, with an Africa regional office in Kampala, Uganda, from 1991-2001. While she was the Director of AMwA, she established the African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI), a training and networking forum for young African women. The leadership institute she developed has become such a powerful legacy that today, the AWLI has trained over 5,000 women across Africa, and most of these women are now in senior decision making positions as Ministers, MPs, academics, civil society leaders, and employees of international organizations.

In 2000, Ms Fayemi co-founded the African Women’s Development Fund, (AWDF), the first Africa-wide grant-making fund, which supports the work of organisations promoting women’s rights in Africa. Since it began grant making in 2001, AWDF has supported over 800 women’s organisations in 42 African countries with over U$16m in grants. AWDF has played a key role in the promotion and protection of women’s rights in Africa, through its support of grassroots initiatives, policy engagements and movement building for social justice. Ms Fayemi has been Co-Chair International Network of Women’s Funds (2004-2006), Honorary President, Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) (2003-2005) and Trustee, Comic Relief (UK. She has also served as a resource person to UN agencies such as UNIFEM, UNDP, UN/ECA (Addis Ababa) and several other regional and international bodies. She is currently an Adviser to Global Fund for Women (USA), an Editorial Board Member of Alliance Magazine (UK), a board member of Resource Alliance (UK), an Advisory Board member of Realising Rights - The Ethical Globalisation Initiative, a member of the African Feminist Forum Working Group, a board member of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Market Women’s Fund, a board member of the Women’s Funding Network (USA), and Co-Chair of the newly established African Grantmakers Network. A talented writer, Ms Fayemi is also a Contributing Editor for The News magazine, Nigeria.

Ms Fayemi is a leading voice not only in the African women’s movement and civil society, but in the global women’s movement as well. She has also become a key figure in the world of philanthropy, particularly in the global South. She is in very high demand across the world as a resource person, strategist, guest speaker, trainer, events host and process manager. In 2006, she received the Distinguished Alumni award from the Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, as well as an Achievers Award given by the African International Media Summit (2006) for promoting a positive image of Africa. She is a 2007 recipient of the prestigious `Changing the face of Philanthropy’ award from the Women’s Funding Network, USA, a Synergos Senior Fellow, as well as the 2000/2001 holder of the Dame Nita Barrow Distinguished Visitorship at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) University of Toronto. She also holds the honorary chieftaincy title of ‘Ochiorah’ (People’s Leader) of Imezi Owa, Ezeagwu Local Government, Enugu State, Nigeria, in recognition of her support for women in that community. In April 2009, Ms Fayemi was named by New African Magazine as one of the 20 most influential African women on the continent.