People's Profile

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Nigeria

Wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Nigeria & co-founder of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF):
H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a renowned feminist. With an academic background in History, Cultural Anthropology and Gender studies, she has acquired professional experience as a social change philanthropist, social entrepreneur, journalist, facilitator, trainer, and organizational development specialist. Her Excellency is also one of founders of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). Prior to her work with AWDF, H.E. was the Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), coordinating programs for the development of women’s leadership skills and supports women’s grassroots organizations.
As director of AMwA she initiated the African Women’s Leadership Institute, an amazingly powerful leadership-training program for women’s groups in Africa and Europe. H.E Bisi is currently the founder of the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF). In 2011, Women Deliver named H.E Bisi one of 100 most inspiring people delivering for women and girls. Similarly, in 2011, H.E. sponsored the Gender Based Violence Prohibition Bill, which was passed into law. With the passage of the bill, Ekiti becomes the first state in Nigeria to have such a law.