Self Help Africa New York network of support did itself proud, when close to 400 friends turned out for the 11th annual ChangeMakers Ball in The Big Apple, last month.

On an amazing night of celebration, our supporters dug deep – and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars on the night to support our African development programs.

More than $120,000 of this is going to a new network of 20 Women’s Business Centres in Nigeria, the benefactors of this year’s ‘special project’ award at the gala.

The attendance, who included friends of Self Help Africa old and new, heard a compelling and uplifting keynote address from Winifred Johansen, the Ugandan-born director of our social enterprise subsidiary Partner Africa director.

And there was a special presentation for the inspiring Flaviana Matata, the fashion model and philanthropist, who was recognised with the ‘Spirit of Africa Award’ for the work of her charitable foundation to support youth education and women’s empowerment in her home country, Tanzania.