GET BACK THE HONEY! AFRICAN FEMINIST ESSAYS ON DECOLONISATION, NEOLIBERALISM & CAPITALISM
This anthology offers an in-depth analysis of Nyuki, a political comic published by Akina Mama wa Afrika. Nyuki—Swahili for “bee”—is a powerful allegory that follows the lives of bees, symbolising collective labour, resilience, and communal strength. The comic explores the enduring legacies of colonialism, imperialism, and patriarchy through striking visuals and rich symbolism, revealing […]
New names, New Faces | A poem by Hawa N. Kimbugwe
Silence drips from rafters like rain in deserted houses It coats tongues, thick and still They have seen what happens To those who speak with open throats and full chests To those whose words rattle the air like broken chains Some sit in shadows, not by choice Light has burned them before […]
Manufactured Misery: How Neoliberalism Engineers Poverty in Africa
What if we told you that scarcity isn’t natural, but designed? In her striking essay Manufactured Misery, Hilda Evelyn Nakyondwa breaks down how neoliberal economic policies—often pushed by institutions like the IMF and World Bank—don’t just fail Africa, but actively deepen its poverty. Drawing from the allegorical comic Nyuki: The Bee Story, she shows how […]
Land Dispossession as a Tool of Capitalism
In Land Dispossession as a Tool of Capitalism, Freddie Kagino unpacks one of the most violent and enduring legacies of colonialism: the theft of Indigenous land. Using “NYUKI: The Bee Story” as an allegorical lens, Kagino draws sharp parallels between the betrayal of the bees by the hive beetles and the historical reality of European colonisers […]
The Glorification of Work in Capitalist Economies
A Decolonial Feminist Reading of Nyuki In her essay The Glorification of Work in Capitalist Economies: A Decolonial Feminist Reading of Nyuki, Trudy Asiima peels back the shiny facade of capitalism to reveal its brutal core. From the sleep-deprived street vendor to the office worker trapped in a cycle of pointless meetings, Asiima shows how […]
Letter to Nyuki from Post-Colonial Aethina
In a searing essay titled ” Letter to Nyuki from Post-Colonial Aethina,” Komungaro Mbabazi delves deep into the world of NYUKI: The Bee Story to reveal the grim realities of Africa’s post-independence condition. The prison metaphor is clear and piercing: we are inmates of a system designed to exploit us, with our leaders acting as prison guards, […]
Are You an Oppressor, Resistor, or Enabler in the Neoliberal Capitalist System?
In her essay “Oppressor, Resistor, or Enabler: Who Are You in the Neoliberal Capitalist System?”, writer and feminist storyteller Lisa Charity Nabuchabo unpacks the symbolic characters of NYUKI: The Bee Story, revealing how each one mirrors a role many of us unknowingly play in today’s global order. From the self-serving Hive Beetles to the overburdened […]
Debt and Deception: A System Built to Owe
In 2025, as debt crises engulf the Global South, calls for justice—not charity—grow louder. This powerful blog unpacks the colonial roots of global debt, challenges creditor-driven narratives, and uplifts African feminist voices demanding a UN Sovereign Debt Convention rooted in dignity, sovereignty, and repair—not repayment.
Letters from Nairobi weaved with Love and Solidarity
A Reflection Space on Movement Building What does building a movement rooted in love, resistance, and radical imagination mean? In Letters from Nairobi Weaved with Love and Solidarity, we invite you into a living archive, a reflection space where memory meets momentum and the story of Akina Mama wa Afrika continues to unfold. This isn’t […]
Our Liberation Is Not A Poetic Ideal
Our liberation is not a poetic ideal — it is not a spectacle, a slogan, or a national holiday performance. In this powerful reflection inspired by Thomas Sankara, Precious Tricia Abwooli critiques the aestheticization of African liberation, challenging the symbolic independence celebrated through parades, flags, and speeches. Instead, she calls for a return to the revolutionary roots of justice, healing, and everyday transformation. This piece interrogates the gap between symbolic freedom and lived realities under neocolonial systems, urging us to reclaim liberation as a radical, embodied, and collective struggle
5 Ways the “Pan-African Family Values” Conference Threatens African Liberation and Dignity
A new wave of neocolonialism cloaked in Pan-Africanism is unfolding in Nairobi. This exposé unmasks the far-right evangelical agenda behind the Pan-African Family Values Conference and its dangerous efforts to rewrite African history, erase diverse family structures, attack gender minorities, and undermine women’s autonomy—all while exploiting the continent’s resources.
Advancing Climate Justice, Human Rights, and Economic Equity in Tanzania
Climate resilience, gender equality, and economic development are powerfully interconnected, in Tanzania and around the world. In her insightful article, human rights lawyer and climate justice advocate Maria Matui explores how progressive taxation, investment in care systems, and gender-transformative policies can drive inclusive and sustainable growth.
The Unpaid Workforce: Why Women’s Labour Keeps the World Spinning for Free
Unpaid care work, mostly done by women, is the hidden backbone of global economies. Learn why recognizing, valuing, and investing in unpaid care work is crucial for achieving gender equality, economic justice, and sustainable development.
CONSULTANCY | Developing an Organisational Impact and Learning Report
As Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) concludes its 2021–2025 Strategic Plan, we take this moment to reflect, learn, and chart our path forward. Over the past four years, we have advanced our feminist agenda through Feminist and Transformational Leadership Development, Feminist Research and Knowledge Building, Policy Influencing, and Movement Building—deepening impact, strengthening solidarities, and challenging […]
Reimagining Financing for Development: Ending Rigged Rules in Turbulent Times
As I stepped into the Third Preparatory Committee Session for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), I felt both hope and trepidation. The world stands at a critical juncture, facing climate crises, mounting debt, and widening inequalities. Yet, as a young African feminist, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the same challenges […]
Nyuki Comic Book
In a stunning visual masterpiece, the Nyuki comic book brings to life the deep and enduring connections between colonialism, imperialism, and patriarchy, exposing how these historical forces continue to shape wealth inequality today. It vividly illustrates how power structures of the past laid the foundation for modern systems of privilege, where the concentration of wealth […]
FOOTPRINTS TOWARDS A FEMINIST UTOPIA
This compilation is a heartfelt tribute to the transformative power of feminist advocacy—a tapestry woven with stories of resilience, leadership, and unyielding community spirit from across Africa. It illuminates the profound impact of grassroots initiatives led by women and feminist organisations as they confront the challenges of climate change, champion economic justice, advocate for sexual […]
A Reflection on Justice, Accountability, and the Urgency for Real Change.
A Reflection on Justice, Accountability, and the Urgency for Real Change My experience attending the UNGA#79 Action Days Summit was incredible. I was honored to speak on a panel that I hold dear to my heart—one that aligns with the principles and values I strive to promote: creating economies that prioritize well-being, center care, and […]
Letters from the Feminist Press | We write to you in the name of Joy
Akina Mama wa Afrika, the GBV Prevention Network, Make Way and QWESHUNGA join the global campaign for 16 Days of Activism with a resounding message: amidst it all, we must reclaim our feminist joy. Why Feminist Joy, you may ask? Well, as African feminists dreaming and working towards better futures for ourselves and others, all our […]
AMwA Womens day newsletter
If we are to be honest, “Invest in Women” a political term that used to carry strategies towards liberation, justice and dignity for the women’s movement has been stripped of its essence and reduced to a toothless buzzword. The culprit behind this depoliticization is none other than the usual suspect; insatiable imperialist profit-minded entities that […]