Dr. Vongai Nyahunzvi empowers grassroots leaders to transform African women’s lives through sustainable, community-driven leadership networks.
Dr. Vongai Nyahunzvi is building a pan-African leadership network that empowers grassroots social entrepreneurs to sustainably support and uplift the lives of women and girls across the continent. In 2023, she founded the Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG), which now supports community-based organisations in more than 20 African countries.
Born and raised in Norton, Zimbabwe, Nyahunzvi became a teenage mother whose trajectory was reshaped through the support of two, now-defunct, NGOs. These organisations gave her access to education, mentorship, and leadership development when needed. Their impact helped her rewrite her life’s narrative.
Years later, Nyahunzvi recognised a troubling pattern: Many grassroots organisations that once supported vulnerable girls like her were struggling—or collapsing—due to poor leadership and a lack of resources. In response, she launched AFWAG to strengthen and sustain the same ecosystem that once gave her a second chance.
What AFWAG does
The Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG) focuses on empowering early-stage social entrepreneurs who lead grassroots organisations serving women and girls. Through flagship programmes such as the Her Africa Early Stage Incubator, AFWAG equips these leaders with essential skills—strategic thinking, resilience, communication, and leadership development—enabling them to build more effective and sustainable organisations.
The ripple effect is transformative. These strengthened community organisations deliver better outcomes in education, health, gender equity, and poverty alleviation. AFWAG’s model distinguishes itself by focusing on leadership capacity and systems change, not just service delivery.
The AFWAG network currently includes over 153 organisations across 21 African countries.
Going beyond funding
AFWAG’s support extends beyond funding. Participants benefit from mentorship, coaching, wellness resources, storytelling training, and access to long-term partnerships with NGOs, government agencies, and private sector stakeholders. The network is designed to equip local leaders with everything they need to drive enduring impact.
In Uganda, AFWAG works with partners such as MWALA, Ogandaze African Foundation, and Re-Build Scholars, where internal evaluations have shown a 60% increase in girls’ awareness and access to sexual and reproductive health rights. AFWAG supports girls living in refugee camps in Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda, providing access to vocational training, mentorship, and personal development tools.
The benefits don’t stop with the incubator. AFWAG offers a growing alumni network and continuous resource access, supporting social entrepreneurs throughout their journeys. By investing in these leaders, AFWAG generates ripple effects that expand access to healthcare, education, leadership, and economic opportunity for thousands of African women and girls.
A leader with global reach
Nyahunzvi brings unmatched expertise to this mission. She has worked in 48 countries, coached hundreds of emerging and senior leaders, served on the United Nations Leadership Faculty, and authored three leadership books: Lead Don’t Self-Sabotage, Leadership Syndromes, and Leading from Within.
