Question 1

Who's behind Kwanda?

Accepted Answer

Our board members are responsible for financial oversight and the strategic direction of the organisation. Name Role Jermaine Craig Chair Izzy Obeng Board Lynne Egwuekwe Board Anne-Caroline-Midy Board You can learn more about the rest of  our team here .

Question 2

Is Kwanda a registered charity?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  Kwanda Inc.  is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Maryland, USA (EIN: 41-2766953). Our address is 1400 W Lombard Street Unit 692, Baltimore, MD 21223. We also have a UK entity,  Kwanda Ltd , a non-profit limited by guarantee (Company Number: 12378728) at International House, 64 Nile Street, London, N1 7SR.

Question 3

How does Kwanda select and vet project partners?

Accepted Answer

We have a  set of criteria  against which we judge solutions we might invest in and the partners who will implement those solutions. These criteria  ensure that projects align with our mission and values and have the potential for sustainable development.  Regarding vetting, we practice trust-based philanthropy, which means we place a high level of trust in the local entrepreneurs and initiatives we support. Still, we use local networks and qualifying criteria to conduct due diligence before finalising partnerships. When needed, we take advantage of  Global Giving's  robust  due diligence offerings  and combine them with our own due diligence processes. Global Giving is known for its thorough vetting of nonprofit organizations and projects. This partnership allows us to leverage an established system for verifying project legitimacy and potential impact, especially when additional scrutiny is required.

Question 4

How does Kwanda ensure transparent fund and project management?

Accepted Answer

We only work with partners who have evidenced an ability to provide complete transparency on their use of funds and project implementation. This ability is a core part of our  funding criteria  and is assessed as a part of our due diligence process. ... and, of course, we hold ourselves to the same standard. We provide regular financial updates and display all our financial transactions on our  open ledger . We also outline and update our  budget  and  fixed costs  every month. We provide regular project updates and the occasional detailed report, allowing villagers to track the progress and impact of each project.

Question 5

How does Kwanda ensure solutions are community-driven and not externally imposed?

Accepted Answer

We focus on supporting solutions that already have wide community backing. Rather than proposing solutions ourselves, We act as a partner to scale solutions pre-established by local entrepreneurs. This approach respects local expertise and ensures solutions are driven by community members who understand the context best. While we may suggest ways to evolve existing solutions based on knowledge gained from other projects, partner communities are not obligated to implement these suggestions. This approach allows for knowledge sharing while still respecting local autonomy.

Question 6

Can members contribute skills or expertise beyond financial contributions?

Accepted Answer

Soon! We're still developing a framework for effectively engaging our members' skills and expertise beyond financial contributions. Internally, we prioritise having permanent staff cover all core functions needed for Kwanda's operations. This approach helps us reduce risk and ensure consistency in our operations. While we appreciate the potential for volunteer contributions, we believe having a stable, dedicated team managing essential aspects of our platform is crucial. Similarly, we ensure projects on the ground are not dependent on volunteers. We work with communities and project leaders to establish sustainable structures that don't rely on volunteer support, which helps maintain project continuity and effectiveness. While we're not currently set up to fully utilise member skills beyond financial contributions, we're exploring ways to incorporate member expertise in the future, potentially through advisory roles or knowledge-sharing initiatives. We'll keep members updated as we develop more opportunities for engagement.

Question 7

Is there a minimum commitment period for membership?

Accepted Answer

There's no minimum commitment period. Members can adjust or cancel their contributions at any time.

Question 8

How does Kwanda evaluate project impact over time?

Accepted Answer

We take a comprehensive approach to measuring the long-term impact of funded projects: We establish key performance metrics that are unique to each project. These metrics are tailored to capture the specific outcomes and impacts relevant to the project's goals and the community it serves. We conduct regular follow-ups with partner communities and project leaders, tracking these key performance indicators over time. This allows us to monitor progress and assess each initiative's sustained impact. We combine these individual project metrics in more extensive reports to provide higher-level impact reports. These comprehensive reports offer insights across various sectors (education, health, agriculture) and regions. This aggregated data allows us to analyse broader trends and the overall impact of our investments. We also use this data to inform our future funding decisions, ensuring we continually improve our impact. By using this multi-layered approach - from project-specific metrics to broader impact analysis - we can provide our members with a clear and detailed understanding of how their contributions are making a sustained impact.

Question 9

How much of my contribution goes to projects vs. operations?

Accepted Answer

The percentage of your monthly contribution that goes directly to funding projects versus operational costs is not fixed and will fluctuate. However, we strive for transparency in how we allocate funds. Here are approximations: 44% Staff:  Covers salaries, wages, benefits, and related costs for our core team and contractors. 35% Impact:  Directly invested in projects and initiatives that advance our mission. 9% Marketing:  Supports outreach, member engagement, and community growth—helping us scale our collective impact. 12% Overheads:  Covers essential operational costs such as utilities, rent, software, and admin. It's important to note that our staff and marketing spend directly contributes to expanding our reach and ability to fund more projects over time. As we grow and achieve economies of scale, we aim to gradually increase the percentage that goes directly to projects. We regularly review and optimise this allocation to ensure we maximise every contribution's impact while sustainably growing our platform.

Question 10

Can I choose to support specific types of projects or geographic areas?

Accepted Answer

Our platform currently doesn’t offer the ability to support only selective project types or geographic areas. We try our best to present a diverse range of projects across different sectors and regions for consideration.

Question 11

How does Kwanda ensure project diversity across different African countries?

Accepted Answer

We actively seek projects from various regions and sectors to ensure diversity in our project portfolio. We’re also continuously seeking out and forming strategic partnerships that substantially increase our coverage of the continent and beyond.

Question 12

How does Kwanda handle project failures?

Accepted Answer

We work closely with project leaders to address challenges as they arise. If a project consistently underperforms or fails, we may reallocate the remaining funds to other initiatives. Any challenges, malpractice or failures will be communicated to members as soon as they arise.

Question 13

Can members propose projects for consideration?

Accepted Answer

Yes, members are welcome to suggest projects for consideration. However, it's important to note that while we value these suggestions, we've found that our most aligned and impactful projects typically come through our established local networks. These networks allow us to identify initiatives that are deeply rooted in community needs and have strong local support. If you are considering suggesting a project, we encourage you to review our posts detailing our approach to project selection. This will provide you with insights into our criteria and the types of projects that resonate most with our mission.

Question 14

Can I increase or decrease my monthly contribution amount?

Accepted Answer

Yes, members can adjust their contribution amount at any time through their account dashboard.

Question 15

I'm not able to login with my email address?

Accepted Answer

If you are having trouble logging in, some fixable issues may be happening. There might be a typo in your sign-up email, or the secure login link we sent may be in your spam folder. In rare cases, we may have trouble sending you the secured login link via email. If you've checked your email and spam folder but still need help, contact someone on our team. They can help fix the issue. Please email us at  support@kwanda.co

Question 16

Why do I need to pay monthly to join?

Accepted Answer

Kwanda can consistently invest in sustainable development with the power of a sustained village income. Members contributing monthly will help us plan better, ensure we can maintain our operations, and avoid the need to keep seeking new funding sources. You also have the option to make  one-time contributions  to Kwanda. Note - Making a one-time contribution is simply a donation and won't grant you access to the village.

Question 17

Does Kwanda turn a profit for shareholders?

Accepted Answer

Nope! Kwanda is legally structured as a non-profit and cannot withdraw any profits. Any profits are reinvested.

Question 18

How do I cancel my monthly contribution?

Accepted Answer

Members can cancel their contributions at any time through their account dashboard.

Question 19

What kind of impact reports do members receive? How often?

Accepted Answer

Members receive a variety of impact reports to keep them informed about the projects they support: Play-by-Play Project Reporting:  Each project page on our platform features detailed reporting that provides ongoing updates and insights into the project's progress. This allows members to track developments in real-time. Monthly Founder’s Letter:  Subscribed members receive a monthly letter from the founder, which shares all relevant updates about Kwanda, including project highlights, community stories, and organisational news. Annual Impact Report:  We produce a comprehensive annual impact report at the end of each year. This report aggregates data from all funded projects, providing insights into the overall impact across sectors and regions and lessons learned.

Question 20

How exactly does the voting process work for selecting projects?

Accepted Answer

The voting process for selecting projects at Kwanda is designed to be transparent and inclusive. Here's how it works: Project Proposal:  A detailed proposal is drafted for each potential project. This proposal includes: The context within which the proposed solution was founded, providing background on the community needs and challenges. Information about the local partner(s) who will be implementing the solution A comprehensive plan of execution outlining the steps and timeline for the project Expected outcomes and impact metrics Proposal Publication : Once the proposal is finalized, it's published on our platform for members to review. Member Notification:  Members who have subscribed to email notifications will receive an alert when a new proposal is published, ensuring they don't miss the opportunity to participate in the voting process. Voting Period:  Members are given a set period to review the proposal and cast their votes. Voting Threshold:  For a proposal to pass and be approved for funding, it must receive a "yes" vote from 50% or more of the voting members. This ensures that projects moving forward have substantial support from our community. Results Announcement:  After the voting period closes, the results are tallied and announced to the community. This process ensures that our members have a direct say in which projects Kwanda supports, aligning our investments with our community's priorities and values.

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