About Zawadi

Zawadi Giving Circle is a non-profit group of African American philanthropists from New Orleans. Founded in June 2005, Zawadi (Swahili for “gift”) is focused on cultivating and leveraging resources to affect long-term, positive change in the quality of life for people of African descent in the New Orleans area.

Currently, Zawadi has fourteen members and is looking forward to growing. Though almost half of its members have been displaced since Hurricane Katrina, Zawadi is doing its part to help with the daunting task of rebuilding New Orleans. The effect of the levee failures has made the members even more committed to their mission. Even though several lost their homes and many of their belongings, they still donated to the group without hesitation.

Zawadi continues a long tradition of philanthropy in the African American community. From more widely known faith-based giving to New Orleans’ local history of social aid and pleasure clubs, there is a huge base upon which the members of Zawadi are extending the idea of giving back to the community.

Zawadi is part of a larger body of community philanthropists called the Community Investment Network. Organized by HindSight Consulting, Inc. with investment from The Ford Foundation, the Community Investment Network was established to enhance the capacity of organized groups of concerned citizens engaged in collective giving of time, talent, and treasure to impel greater social change in their communities. The primary goal of this network is to promote strategic collective giving and community problem solving.