Two years ago, Her Initiative stood on a stage in Brussels as the recipient of the KBF Africa Prize 2023–2024, joining a community of African organizations recognized for creating meaningful and lasting change in their communities.
At the time, the award felt like a milestone. Today, we understand it was also a beginning.
This year, as the KBF Africa Prize prepared to announce its 2025–2026 laureate, our Executive Director returned to Belgium in a different capacity not as a recipient, but as a member of the jury entrusted with selecting the next organization whose work would be recognized on a continental stage.
It was a full-circle moment.
One that invited reflection not only on how far Her Initiative has come, but also on the power of recognition in amplifying African-led solutions.
The KBF Africa Prize celebrates organizations that are sustainably improving lives across Africa. Every two years, it shines a spotlight on local initiatives tackling complex challenges, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities where they are needed most.
Yet what makes the prize remarkable is not the ceremony itself. It is what happens afterward. Recognition creates visibility. Visibility creates trust.
And trust creates opportunities for organizations to scale their impact, strengthen partnerships, and bring their work to audiences they may never have reached before.
Reflecting on the experience, our Executive Director shared:
"This prize does more than recognize impact—it amplifies it. It introduces our work to the world, expands scale, builds credibility, and opens doors for deeper partnerships."
Those doors continue to open.
Alongside the award activities in Belgium, discussions with development partners and stakeholders focused on one issue that remains deeply relevant across the globe: the rights of women and girls.
As conversations unfolded against the backdrop of shifting global priorities and changing power dynamics, one message remained clear: women's rights cannot be treated as a secondary concern.
"Women's rights are not a side conversation. They are a cross-cutting priority. Challenging conversations, but necessary ones."
For organizations working directly with women and girls, these conversations are more than policy discussions. They influence whose voices are heard, whose challenges are prioritized, and ultimately, whose futures are invested in.
The announcement of the 2025–2026 laureate also served as a powerful reminder that transformative solutions are emerging from every corner of the continent.
This year's prize was awarded to Friendship Bench of Zimbabwe, an organization that has reimagined mental health care by bringing support closer to communities through trained grandmothers who provide evidence-based counselling in safe and familiar spaces.
Their work demonstrates something African organizations have always known: some of the most effective solutions are often the ones rooted in trust, community, and local leadership.
As we celebrated their achievement, we were reminded that the KBF Africa Prize is not simply about recognizing one organization.
It is about elevating a growing movement of African leaders who are creating solutions for African challenges.
For Her Initiative, being part of this journey as a former laureate, a jury member, and a community of changemakers reinforces our belief that local organizations have the knowledge, innovation, and leadership needed to drive sustainable development.
Awards may shine a spotlight on impact.
But the real work continues long after the applause ends.
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson from this full-circle moment: recognition is not the finish line.
It is an invitation to keep going. To keep building. To keep opening doors for others.
And to keep believing that African-led solutions can transform lives, communities, and the future of our continent.