Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group (AGAG), a Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grantee, connects funders from around the globe with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in one or more of the continent’s 54 countries.

AGAG members are providing grants to NGOs operating in the world’s newest nation, the Republic of South Sudan, which officially became an independent country in July 2011.

Africa is a continent of contrasts. While its modern cities rival any in the world, women in rural areas still carry tubs of laundry on their heads to be washed in nearby rivers – just as their ancestors did hundreds of years earlier. Many AGAG members, such as Mott, fund NGOs working in both urban and rural areas.

One of AGAG’s goals is to strengthen partnerships between its members and NGOs working on the ground in African countries. Funders and grant recipients recognize that each partner has ideas, information and experiences to share, which enriches both funders and NGOs.

Mott supports community centers where residents get free legal information related to issues such as land rights, labor disputes, domestic violence, social benefit payments, etc. These centers, located throughout South Africa, are called Advice Offices.

Advice Offices also educate local residents about their right to hold government officials accountable to the public whom they are elected to serve.

Many AGAG members, including Mott, support community foundation programs that encourage and equip youth to contribute to their communities in positive ways, such as caring for local gardens.

In addition to raising local funds to addresslocal needs, community foundations throughout the African continent help develop other local resources, such as a skilled workforce, including providing equipment and training for local residents to become tailors and seamstresses.

For more information about AGAG, go to http://www.africagrantmakers.org.

Additional Mott materials related to this slideshow are available at http://www.Mott.org.

They include:• An article about AGAG and its members’

work• A video interview with Niamani Mutima,

AGAG’s executive director• A transcript of the above interview