Happy Mwende Kinyili on Building a Global, Grassroots Feminist Movement
What happens when $2.83 billion disappears from women’s rights funding globally? Conversely, what is possible when donors break out of traditional silos to work collaboratively with the goal of abundance and liberation for all? Phil Buchanan and Grace Nicolette talk with Happy Mwende Kinyili, co-executive director of global feminist fund Mama Cash to explore this unprecedented crisis — and discover surprising reasons for hope.
Happy shares powerful stories from Kenya to Argentina, explaining how participatory grantmaking creates lasting change and why “the people who’ve gotten us into this mess aren’t going to get us out of it.” For donors feeling overwhelmed by massive global needs or the frustrating retrenchments of recent years, Happy offers her own mother’s wisdom: “Don’t try to do everything, do something.” Learn how small actions can have huge impact, why trust-based philanthropy works, and how co-leadership models are reshaping organizations.
Guest Info:
Happy Mwende Kinyili is a global movement strategist, organiser, and storyteller working to build futures grounded in social and environmental justice. With over two decades of experience spanning grassroots organising and global philanthropy, they are a pivotal voice in feminist resourcing and participatory grantmaking. Based in Nairobi and rooted in the Global South, Happy brings lived experience and visionary leadership to their role as Co-Executive Director of Mama Cash. Their joy is defiant, their hope grounded, and their commitment to justice unwavering. Across every space they enter, Happy’s message is clear: every contribution counts toward shared freedom.
Credits:
Podcast Production: Rococo Punch
Artwork: Jay Kustka
Resources:
Mama Cash
Green Girls Platform
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
Urgent Action Fund
Mark Suzman on the Giving Done Right Podcast
CEP’s Three Year Study on the Impact of MacKenzie Scott’s Large, Unrestricted Gifts