Atti Worku CO-CEO - African Collaborative./ photo ;EAPN
From building a small after-school programme in Ethiopia to helping support African-led organisations across the continent, Atti Worku has experienced development work from more than one perspective.
She is among the speakers expected at the 10th East Africa Philanthropy Conference, scheduled for 16–20 June 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
 The conference will bring together philanthropy practitioners, funders, development leaders, and community actors to discuss issues shaping the future of philanthropy in Africa and beyond.
Worku currently serves as Co-CEO of the African Visionary Fund, an organisation that supports African-led organisations and leaders working to address challenges in their communities.
The fund focuses on providing resources and support to local organisations while contributing to wider discussions about how philanthropy can better respond to local priorities.
Before joining the African Visionary Fund, Worku founded Seeds of Africa in Adama, Ethiopia.
 What began as an after-school programme for a small group of children grew into a school serving hundreds of students and expanded into programmes that also supported mothers and families through literacy initiatives, entrepreneurship training, and access to small business loans.
Her experience spans community-based development and philanthropy, offering insight into the challenges organisations face as they seek funding, build partnerships, and expand their work.
 She has also written about philanthropy, power, and equity, particularly in relation to the experiences of locally led African organisations.
These issues continue to receive attention across the sector, especially as funders and practitioners examine how resources are distributed, how partnerships are structured, and how local organisations can play a stronger role in shaping development priorities.
The East Africa Philanthropy Conference provides a space for these conversations.
Discussions are expected to explore the changing role of philanthropy and the ways different actors can work together to support lasting social change.
Within this context, Worku’s experience connects to wider discussions on locally led development, community-driven solutions, and the role of philanthropy in supporting organisations working closest to the challenges they seek to address.
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