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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2025

Contact: Warren Junium | development@iamnuru.org

Oxford – The Nuru Collective joins other esteemed speakers for a Sidebar event at Skoll World Forum: “Locally-Led, Globally Driven: Women Leaders Breaking Barriers” on Thursday, April 3, at 1 pm GMT +1. This interactive session will spotlight the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of women leaders from Nuru, Akashinga, Judith Neilson Foundation, Strong Women For Healthy Country Network, and First Nations Futures. 

Nuru Burkina Faso Executive Director Aïssetou Sawodogo will contribute expertise on how shifting power dynamics and inclusive investment in local leadership can catalyze long-term change. Aïssetou will also share her experiences leading Nuru Burkina Faso and the unique challenges she has faced as a woman leader. The event will offer an innovative space for authentic conversations about funding models, capacity-building, and sustainable partnerships that respect and uphold local autonomy.

Aïssetou Sawodogo, Nuru Burkina Faso Executive Director

Championing Locally-Led Solutions at the Tipping Point

Nuru’s work centers on empowering communities at the stability tipping point, where fragility and opportunity intersect. By strengthening rural livelihoods, fostering market systems, and promoting locally-led leadership, Nuru works to create long-term, sustainable solutions to systemic challenges.

“In today’s global development landscape, true impact requires a fundamental shift in how we approach leadership, funding, and partnerships. The voices of local women and indigenous leaders are not just valuable; they are essential. This event is a critical platform for championing sustainable, inclusive leadership.”  – Aerie Changala, Nuru CEO

A Bold Conversation on Power and Partnership

This 90-minute, highly interactive session will move beyond traditional panel discussions, integrating group conversations, audience engagement, and real-world insights. Discussions will focus on:

  • Navigating Gender Barriers in Leadership – How women and indigenous leaders have broken through systemic obstacles and how funders can support them authentically.
  • The True Meaning of ‘Locally Led’ – Moving beyond buzzwords to ensure that international partnerships respect and enhance local autonomy.
  • Shifting Power in Development and Philanthropy – Practical strategies for embedding local leadership into funding and organizational structures.
  • Connecting Funders with Impact-Driven Leaders

The Skoll World Forum, a globally recognized convening for social entrepreneurs and changemakers, provides a powerful backdrop for these discussions. As Marmalade and Sidebar events like this one gain increasing momentum, Skoll World Forum continues to serve as a call to action for funders, NGO partners, and impact investors to move beyond performative commitments and engage in genuine, lasting partnerships with local leaders. Furthermore, this year’s Skoll Awards also highlight the urgent need for scalable, high-impact solutions that shift power dynamics in development. 

Join Us At This Skoll Sidebar Event

Nuru invites funders, NGO partners, and advocates for locally-led development to join this pivotal conversation at 50 Market Street, Oxford, UK on April 3 at 1 pm GMT+1. Together, we can reimagine development, challenge outdated norms, and build a more inclusive and sustainable future. Space is limited, and attendees must pre-register for this event. To learn more about registration for this event or about partnership with Nuru, please contact development@iamnuru.org.

 

 

 

 

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Nuru is a global collective that enables inclusive and sustainable prosperity by identifying communities at the stability tipping point, strengthening rural livelihoods and market systems, and fostering stabilizing connections that repair social fabric and pave a pathway to peace. The Nuru Collective has organizations in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, and Nigeria. Learn more by visiting www.nuruinternational.org. 

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