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About the Service

Ireland Donates was originally and officially launched in April 2008 for the benefit of organisations operating in the social and voluntary sectors by Shane and Daniela O'Halloran. They established this service after witnessing first-hand the unnecessary wastage and dumping of perfectly reusable business furniture and office equipment - items that were greatly needed by charities and NGO's. In February 2010, (true to their vision) Shane and Daniela donated the Ireland Donates website to AkiDwA. This was after they felt that the NGO would benefit from the website while promoting their national and international efforts.

Akina Dada wa Africa (AkiDwA) is the authoritative minority ethnic-led national network of migrant women living in Ireland, unique domestically and one of only a few such networks in Europe. Seven
African women founded AkiDwA in 2001 to address issues of discrimination, racism and domestic violence they were experiencing in Ireland. The non-governmental organisation is a representative body for migrant women, irrespective of their national/ethnic background, tradition, religious beliefs, socio-economic or legal status. AkiDwA’s advocacy approach is based on strengthening migrant women’s voice, applying a gender perspective to policies and practices and the promotion of equality of migrant women in Irish society, free of gender and racial stereotyping. Current membership of AkiDwA is diverse, with over 2,250 individual members from 35 countries of origin and 34 migrant organisation affiliates.

This background led to the formation of OKUDA International, a replicate model of AkiDwA but based in the home countries of these migrant women. Established in 2008, OKUDA (Okoa na Ulinde Dada in Swahili meaning Save and Protect the Sister) is a charitable organisation that aims to provide information, support and service to women and girls on gender based violence and sexual reproductive health in Kenya.

The organisations’ need emerged from a meeting that was held with women from Kiambururu, Kiambu district in Kenya that had been convened as part of country visit by staff from AkiDwA- the African and migrant women’s network based in Ireland.

Ireland Donates offers an avenue where items and services can be redistributed to where they are most needed. IrelandDonates.com presents a chance for everybody to become involved to make a difference to communities worldwide, the social sector and the environment.

AkiDwA’s Vision is a just society where there is equal opportunity and equal access to resources in all aspects of society, social, cultural, economic, civic and political. Web: www.akidwa.ie  Ireland Donates is sponsored by the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Follow AkiDwA on...