QAIG is a network of Quakers in Britain. It is a Quaker Recognised Body of Britain Yearly Meeting. Our purpose is to facilitate networking between those interested in or involved in Quaker work in Africa and with Quakers in Africa. Members share their initiatives and experiences and discuss cross-cutting issues. This helps us to keep abreast of current work in parts of the huge continent and learn from each other in order to become more effective in our own work.
Many of those involved in QAIG share interests in: education, sustainable small scale agricultural practice, peacebuilding, speaking truth to power, alleviating poverty – grounded in our Quaker beliefs and practices.
How does QAIG work?
We hold a day-long annual meeting open to all those working with partners in Africa, or with former experience in Africa – or just interested.
The programme has normally included sharing briefly what we’ve been doing, a focus on two or three organisations having a bit more time to talk about their work, updates from FWCC including Africa Section, QPSW (East Africa programme), Quaker World Relations Committee and Woodbrooke followed by discussion on a theme, initially in breakout groups, followed by a worship sharing plenary and evaluation of the day.
Recent themes – see the Past Reports page:
- 2020 : Why should we continue intervisitation between ourselves and F/friends in Africa, given the climate emergency?
- 2021 : Fostering the dialogue between African and British Friends
- 2022: Climate Justice: what impact from COP 26 for QAIG?
- 2023: Following up on Reparations/Redressing Inequalities
- 2024: Preparing for the FWCC World Plenary
- 2025: What progress has there been on healing historical injustice and reparations? What is our QAIG network response? How could/ should our QAIG network interact with this agenda and move it forward?
- 2026: QAIG in a divided and troubled world
The projects/charities group
This is a smaller group of (some of) the UK Quaker charities/organisations working with partners in Africa to share specific charity related interests. A WhatsApp group helps connect between meetings, which are usually short zoom meetings, and occasionally blended.
The charities group also shares some practical issues: Trustee renewal, good practice, fundraising, communications, safeguarding, planning and assurance, evaluation, working towards authentic partnerships, whether to travel to visit projects etc.
Special Interest Meetings at BYM
QAIG has had Special Interest Meetings and a presence at the Groups Fair at Britain YM annually; the 2021 group focussed on ‘authentic partnership recognising the context of colonial legacy’; the 2022 session was about working more closely with African F/friends. We heard from Friends in Africa Section about their concerns, how our partnerships work out in practice, and how we can work more closely together; the 2023 session was ‘Reparations? Redressing Inequities? A workshop to hear about the work of those involved in the Quaker Africa Interest Group/Network on the ground, with partners, listening to their needs – and how we might respond; the 2024 session followed up on this theme focussing on two partnerships, in Zimbabwe and Rwanda; in 2025 we focussed on what can we learn from the work done by projects and charities within the Quaker Africa Interest Group that can speak to the YM theme of peacebuilding and our commitment to Reparations; in 2026 we focused on our troubled and changing world, and how many Friends are doing what they can in whatever ways they can help to build a better world.
Links
Friends World Committee for Consultation aims to encourage fellowship and understanding among all the branches of the Religious Society of Friends – https://fwcc.world
FWCC Africa Section is one of the four Sections of FWCC. All those visiting Africa on Quaker work are encouraged to let the Clerk, know about their visit, and to discuss their plans. Email FWCCAS here.
Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends – see https://quaker.org.uk
Click here to view the work done through QPSW on peacebuilding in East Africa.
Contact QAIG
Email: qaig.uk@gmail.com
Quaker Africa Interest Group (QAIG) 