KWISA is an African women-led organisation based in Edinburgh established in 2013 to advocate for and empower women and girls of African descent across Scotland.
Our work addresses inequalities at the intersection of race, gender, health, and socio-economic mobility. Watch our history documentary below.
Our Mission
KWISA’s mission is to disrupt the status quo by advocating for systemic change to promote gender and racial equity. We achieve this by lobbying for better policy, developing research, and fostering community resilience. Our work is rooted in empowering women of African heritage to maximize their well-being while building intergenerational bridges and promoting cohesion between communities and institutions in Scotland and internationally. Central to our approach is convening community expertise, ensuring that lived experiences and diverse voices shape the solutions to the challenges we address.
How We Work
KWISA works by creating links and collaborative partnerships with communities and institutions to develop holistic and co-created strategies for addressing issues affecting communities of African descent.
We do so through:
1. INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. We deliver projects through partnerships with educational, health, third-sector, and governmental organizations.
2. LOBBYING & ADVOCACY. We engage MSPs and Scottish Government, Policy makers, Health & Social care and Educational bodies on policies and decisions affecting communities of African descent.
3. RESEARCH & COMMUNITY OUTREACH. We conduct and facilitate community-driven research that convenes community expertise and advances the well-being of our communities of African descent.
4. WORKSHOPS & TRAINING. We organise various workshops centred on enhancing the knowledge or skills of women and their families and on improving their overall well-being.
