African Orthodox Women’s Grant
All around the continent of Africa women participate in the life of the Orthodox Church. In roles such as catechist, church treasurer, theologian, and chanter, women from Kenya to Cameroon to Zimbabwe work to build up the Body of Christ.
Honoring the fact that women are richly engaged in African Orthodoxy, the St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess wishes to support their efforts to acquire education and skills in order to better serve God. To this end, the St. Phoebe Center has established an African Orthodox Women’s Grant. Orthodox women from Africa are invited to apply for funding to better equip themselves to contribute to the life of the Church. Funds may be requested for conference expenses, tuition for seminary or other projects relating to women and Orthodoxy in Africa.
For more information or an application, please contact St. Phoebe Center Chair Carrie Frederick Frost: stphoebe@gmail.com.
Be sure to select “African Women’s Grant” in the drop-down menu.
Grant Recipients
Angelic Molen, February 2024
Angelic Molen applied for the St. Phoebe Center’s African Women’s Grant, committed to expanding her ministry. For years, she has worked to engage the Orthodox youth of Zimbabwe and build a foundation of pastoral care within her community.
With funding from the African Women’s Grant, Molen will pursue a university education in order to better serve her community in Harare, Zimbabwe. She has chosen to study Geography and Environmental Studies, placing the sanctity of Earth at the forefront of her work.
“The Earth is a sacred gift from God, “she says, “We must protect it from harm and live in harmony with the plants, animals, and every living thing.”
Noting the underrepresentation of African women in leadership positions, Molen has committed herself to using this degree as a means to empower her sisters in Christ.
“I will hold seminars and workshops for my fellow African Orthodox women to increase the rate of participation,” she says. “Environmental science and green innovation are vital to help solve one of the most complex challenges of our time… and women play an essential role.”
Women’s Leadership Conference in Kenya, January 2024
Recently, the Center made its first grant award to a Women’s Leadership Seminar in Kenya. On January 20, 2024, the Meru Deanery of the Orthodox Diocese of Nyeri and Mt. Kenya Region (Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa) held a women’s leadership seminar with funding from the St. Phoebe Center’s African Women’s Grant.
The seminar was necessitated by the fact that, out of twenty elected leaders in the deanery, fourteen are women including chairpersons, secretaries, and treasurers of the local parish council. These women needed leadership training to prepare them for their roles in parish life, including how to overcome challenges they face in leadership and how to plan for the parish effectively. Seventeen women along with three priests, including Fr. Dr. John Njoroge, attended the seminar.
Seminar participants sent their feedback:
Emily Kanorio, Secretary at Prophet Elias Church said, “This has been a fruitful day for us as leaders. It has never happened before. Normally when elected you are left to find your own way of leading but today we are all focused towards one goal. As a young woman in leadership, I have been empowered, now I hope even to study theology to be more competent as an Orthodox Church leader.”
Papathia Mary Kithinji, said, “We are thankful to God, St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess, and our own Fr. Njoroge for this seminar. Empowering us women in leadership, is empowering not only the church but our communities and households– God bless you!”
