Dioraphte has, for the first time in its existence, reviewed its focus and existing practices regarding the support of Social Initiatives in Africa. Based on what we have built over the years in accordance with the vision of the two female founders, the changing context, and the key characteristics of Dioraphte1, Dioraphte has decided to make a focused, long-term commitment to strengthening support for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). It is our strong belief that by focussing, we can have an even greater long-term impact.
New Strategy
From 2025 onwards Dioraphte will continue its support in Africa, but with a specific focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of marginalised adolescent’s girls and boys aged 10 to 19, at risk of (too) early parenting.
Dioraphte will focus on three critical areas: adolescent health services (sexual education, pre-birth, delivery, and afterbirth), adolescent gender-based violence (prevention and response), and abortion (after-) care services. We believe these interventions foster healthy development and transformation in adolescents’ lives.
Justification
With our new strategy we aim to address the root causes of early parenting. Girls aged 15 to 19 years are twice as likely to die during childbirth than women over the age of 20 as their bodies are not yet ready to handle pregnancy demands.2 Adolescent mothers aged 10 to 19 years face a higher risk of infections than women aged 20 to 24 years.3 2019 data indicates that 55% of unintended pregnancies that occur in lower middle income countries among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years end in unsafe abortions. The children born of these pregnancies enter a cycle of poverty. In addition, WHO estimates indicate that 1 in 4 married/partnered adolescent girls ages 15 to 19 has experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime.4 Furthermore, maternal conditions among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years are among the top causes of their death and disability.5
How
We understand that achieving meaningful change in this complex area requires taking calculated risks and transparant communication about the challenges we face. We are prioritizing African-led, community-centred SRHR initiative that help strengthen the capacities of local and regional organizations. In addition, Dioraphte intends to continue its approach of seeking out innovative and early-stage projects which have the capacity to grow into transformative programs with greater impact.
Potential partners
Organizations eligible for support must focus on SRHR, particularly in addressing the needs of adolescents, aged 10 to 19. Organizations should prioritize equity by supporting women-led, youth-led, or early-stage CBOs, fostering community ownership and inclusivity in their programs. Geographically, priority will be given to a small number of countries in East Africa where Dioraphte already has an existing presence, with the long term possibility of expanding to other countries. Organizations should have a deep commitment to community engagement and show evidence of effective leadership, governance structures and financial management.
Budget
The total yearly funding allocated for this strategy is € 4.5 million for multi-year grants, typically spanning three years to promote long term impact and sustainability.
Existing partnerships
In 2024 we communicated the intention to re-shape the portfolio. Dioraphte extends its sincere gratitude to our former and existing partners for their dedicated work. Your contributions have been invaluable and have resulted in increased resilience for so many people in Eastern Africa. We recognize and appreciate the positive impact made through our previous collaborations. Dioraphte intends to build on this legacy when revising its strategic aims in its Africa portfolio.
Next steps/timeline
We are currently recruiting a new SRHR Advisor who will support us in implementing the new strategy and will subsequently provide ongoing support and guidance to our grantees. New granting will start as soon as this new advisor has been appointed and this person has been able to familiarize with our strategy and to develop a plan of action for implementation. The new granting strategy is set to be rolled out in the upcoming grant cycle, with initial grants expected to be awarded by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026. Potential granting partners will pro-actively be identified by the new advisor.
Reference
- Independent fund able to support neglected, unpopular or difficult issues with a willingness to make long-term investments, to finding new ways forward, and to focus on topics that involve risk-taking
- UNFPA https://esaro.unfpa.org/en/topics/adolescent-pregnancy.
- WHO (2020). Adolescent pregnancy. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs364/en/. WHO (2016). Global health estimates 2015: Deaths by cause, age, sex, by country and by region, 2000–2015.
- WHO https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240026681.
- WHO Global Health Estimates 2019: Causes of DALYs and mortality by cause, age, sex, by country and by region, 2000–2019 Geneva; 2019.
