Older Women’s Wisdom, Collective Action: Fund the Future
Older Women’s Wisdom, Collective Action: Fund the Future
The Wisdom at Work Fund stems from the extraordinary experience Ilana has been privileged to have, learning from and working with community-led organizations on women’s human rights, UN Agencies, and Grandmothers, Elderwomen and Older Women around the world over the past 30 years. Ilana is a former labour and human rights lawyer, former CEDAW/Human Rights Advisor at the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and co-Founder and former Executive Director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) in Toronto, Canada. During her tenure at the SLF, Ilana worked with colleagues to launch a campaign (now a global movement) of more than 10,000 grandmothers and ‘grand-others’ in Canada (the U.K. and Australia), in a Solidarity-Not-charity Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign – centering the indomitable Grandmothers in 15 countries in southern and eastern Africa with the highest prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS at the frontlines of the response to the pandemic. The Grandmothers in groups under the auspices of The Stephen Lewis Foundation have raised over 40 million dollars to support community-led organizations powered by Grandmothers raising millions of children orphaned by HIV and AIDS, and advocating for their rights. Ilana has been deeply honoured to learn from her colleagues at the SLF, and the indefatigable Grandmothers on the continent and in the solidarity movement in Canada and beyond – their tenacious work, love and dedication to the improvement of the human condition continues to - and will always be an inspiration.
Twesigye Jackson Kaguri was born and raised in Uganda in the small village of Nyakagyezi. At a very young age he demonstrated an unquenchable desire to learn, which led him to study at and graduate from Makerere University in Kampala. During this time he co-founded the human rights organization, Human Rights Concerns, to help victims of human rights violations in Uganda and to educate the public about their rights. In the 90s he became a visiting scholar at Columbia University where he studied Human Rights Advocacy. Over the years he has been involved extensively in international community efforts as a human rights advocate, fundraiser, and inspirational speaker. In 2001, Kaguri founded The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project in response to the devastating effects of AIDS in his hometown. The organization, which recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary, provides free education to children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. In addition to two schools, it also operates a library, desire farm and nutrition program, medical clinic, clean water system Nyaka has a growing Grandmother Support Programme – 23,000 grandmothers supporting over 90,000 children, who have just opened a Grandmothers’ Bank to support their efforts. He is board member of Global Giving, an international award winner and author of seven books, has been named CNN Hero of the Year, Heifer Hero, Global Citizen, and Power of One by Time Magazine.
Patsy George is a prominent advocate for human rights and social justice. A social worker, she served in many roles, including those of director of Multiculturalism BC and advisor on community development for the province. Empowering communities has always been important to her, and she has been an advocate for immigrant women, visible minorities, children and First Nations people. She has demonstrated her leadership qualities and dedication through her work on behalf of a variety of social organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of British Columbia and Parents Together. Committed to fostering a more equitable world, she is a director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation and the president of the Vancouver branch of the United Nations Association in Canada. She became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2006.
The Advisory Council is currently comprised of fifteen Older Women experts, practitioners, funders, influencers, guiding minds and visionaries. We will be publishing their names here soon.
We are partnering with Myriad USA, a U.S. public charity that facilitates thoughtful, effective giving across borders, respecting local expertise and prioritizing flexibility.