Akili Dada: Supporting and inspiring women to become the leaders of tomorrow

March is Women’s History Month. Unfortunately, women of color are often underrepresented even among change movements. This makes the work of a group like our first quarter 2015 Human Rights beneficiary, Akili Dada, even more important.

Akili Dada helps young women establish their own voice and empower themselves so that they may become the history makers of their society through programs like their Young Changemakers and Innovation in Leadership. Even just a quick follow of their Twitter shows a dedication to bringing the ideas and voices of women to a larger audience. Their page often quotes program participants right alongside famous historic female leaders – showing their participants are the history-makers to come.

Akili Dada's videos provide a chance for women and girls to speak in their own words about their experiences and their ideas, so they can not only share their innovations, but also begin to learn how to frame their work as they learn how to pitch ideas and speak to larger audiences. Their career preparedness workshops, held throughout the program year, help to hone these voices, to prepare them on a technical level, so that program graduates can find the platform in which to excel.

As this month closes, they’ll highlight the critical need for social leadership and entrepreneurship of youth, especially women, with their inaugural WASHA Social Impact Summit.

The summit offers an “opportunity for young women and men showcase their work, challenge one another and cross-pollinate ideas.” This is another forum Akili Dada has created to help African women improve their chances for their unique voices to be heard by a larger crowd, and for their innovations to truly affect the world.

Great women can be found across the globe. Many just need opportunity and training to achieve the greatness they deserve. Akili Dada provides women who are often overlooked that exceptional opportunity to reach their potential and to make history.