Evans Okinyi, Chief Executive Officer of the East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN) addressing delegates during the 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference at Serena Hotel, Kigali Rwanda on June 11, 2025
Kigali, Rwanda – The 9th East Africa Philanthropy Conference opened today in Kigali with a forceful call to action from Evans Okinyi, Chief Executive Officer of the East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN), urging the sector to embrace agility, unlock domestic capital, and transform outdated systems to meet present-day challenges.
Addressing over 500 delegates from 32 countries at Serena Hotel, Okinyi declared the convening “a call to action, a test of our convictions, and a moment for courageous recalibration.”
“This gathering is not simply another event on the philanthropic calendar,” he said. “Today, we gather not just as institutions, but as a movement—of ideas, of courage, and of collective purpose.”
Under the theme “Agile Philanthropy: Adapting to Economic, Social, and Political Shifts”, the three-day event—running from June 11 to 13—seeks to foster innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and systems-level change in response to growing global volatility.
Okinyi stressed the urgency of shifting away from legacy approaches that are no longer adequate. “We are standing in a moment where philanthropy can no longer afford to be slow, distant, or reactive,” he said. “The ground beneath us is shifting—aid is retrenching, costs are rising, trust is thinning, and civic space is tightening.”
Rather than retreat in the face of these pressures, he challenged the sector to harness this moment of disruption as an opportunity to “reimagine what giving means, to unlock local capital, to align sectors, and to build resilience that lasts beyond the next crisis.”
Calling for bold, uncomfortable conversations, Okinyi emphasized that the conference must go beyond polite dialogue. “This conference is not about polite consensus. It is about naming what no longer serves us—legacy models, outdated accountability structures, and donor calendars that ignore community rhythms,” he asserted. “Let us be clear—this is not the time for safe conversations. This is the time for a new social compact between philanthropy, government, and the private sector.”
Throughout his opening remarks, the CEO underscored the need for practical, sustained action. “This conference must serve as a catalyst—not only for dialogue, but for coordinated, sustained action,” he said. “Let us amplify what is working, abandon what is not, and accelerate what is urgent.”
As the continent navigates complex shifts, Okinyi stressed that homegrown solutions rooted in community wisdom and shared purpose must guide the path forward.
“Let this be where we draw a new map—for philanthropy that is African-led, community-rooted, and future-facing,” he said. “At EAPN, we believe in three things: That community wisdom is strategy. That collaboration is not charity. And that agility is not an option—it is a necessity.”
He positioned EAPN not as a gatekeeper, but as a steward of a new era for African philanthropy. “EAPN stands ready—not as a gatekeeper, but as a convener, a connector, and a challenger,” he said. “We are here to help build a resilient ecosystem that is not dependent, but interdependent. That does not wait for permission, but moves with purpose.”
On the critical issue of financing, Okinyi challenged the philanthropic ecosystem to invest more intentionally in local resources. “This is the time to unlock domestic capital,” he urged. “Let us interrogate, reimagine, and rebuild together. Let us not be daunted by the size of the task, but inspired by the size of our collective possibility.”
Over the next two days, delegates will engage in thematic tracks that reflect a strategic progression: from diagnosing ecosystem dysfunctions and misalignments, to building cross-sector coherence, to ensuring the flow of regenerative, community-anchored capital.
Day 1 of the conference focused on interrogating structural weaknesses in the current philanthropic ecosystem—surfacing issues such as outdated legacy models, rigid institutions, and broken feedback loops that stifle local agency.
Day 2 will turn attention to alignment—asking how philanthropic actors can better position themselves within an interconnected web of relationships that includes governments, private sector, civil society, and communities. The Public-Private-Philanthropy Partnership (PPPP) model is expected to be a key feature of this day’s sessions.
The final day will explore how to resource the philanthropic ecosystem for long-term vitality—through domestic capital mobilization, inclusive governance, and funding strategies that are attuned to local rhythms and community leadership.
The conference has drawn participants from across the philanthropic spectrum—foundation executives, policymakers, grassroots organizations, academia, and business leaders—all working toward a common goal: strengthening African philanthropy from the inside out.
In concluding his remarks, Okinyi left no doubt about the urgency and ambition of the moment. “Let’s rise together—with purpose, with clarity, and with action. And now, let’s get to work.”
