Katherine Fleming Award Continues to Strengthen Communities and Inspire Change
The first Katherine Fleming Leadership Course for Women Leaders was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in June 2025.
For 25 years the Katherine Fleming International Development Award has supported African women leaders studying at Coady Institute. Friends, family, and supporters of the award came together during St. Francis Xavier University homecoming celebrations earlier this month to honour and remember the woman who inspired the award.
Katherine Fleming graduated from StFX in 1985 and dedicated her life’s work to overcoming child poverty in Africa until her death in 1999 in Tanzania while working for United Nations Children’s Fund. Following her untimely death, family and friends created the award at Coady in loving memory of her lifetime dedication to supporting the elimination of child poverty in Africa.
Many of those involved in establishing the award gathered for the Class of 1985 dinner, Alumni Breakfast with Coady Institute breakfast for alumni and community, and for the StFX Hall of Honour ceremony where Katherine was posthumously honored with a Distinguished Alumna Achievement Award for her leadership and service embodying the spirit of StFX. Her brother George Fleming and sister Helen Livingstone accepted the award.
“My mother had a profound love for Africa, its vibrancy, its history, and above all the resilience of its people,” Madeline says. “It was a love that was grounded, not in charity or romanticism, but in deep respect and solidarity, that love shaped how she viewed the world.”
“I think my mother would be thrilled to see that a course, in her name, has been designed to be delivered to as many as 21 women on the African continent, a place that she called home for many years,” Madeline says.
She thanked many of the classmates who supported the award but noted the efforts of the late Dave Bernatchez. As 1985 Class President he worked to establish the award.
“Though her life was far too short, it’s clear that she left an impact on her classmates just as much as her classmates left a lasting mark on her,” Madeline says.
“This university and the values of Moses Coady gave her both clarity and a deep sense of purpose, the kind that I think many of us spend, our lifetimes trying to climb.”
Longtime Coady partner Women in Self Employment Ethiopia (WISE) hosted leadership course. Tsigie Haile, the 2024 Katherine Fleming recipient, founded WISE and was involved in the planning of the course along with Eyerusalem Gebreegzeabher a seven-time Coady graduate who also spoke at the breakfast.
“The course brought together 21 incredible women leaders from nine African countries, all united by a commitment to community-driven leadership,” Eyerusalem says.
“The course emphasized that leadership grows through relationships, reflection, and community. It created a space where ideas flowed freely, cross-cultural learning thrived, and deep, lasting bonds were formed.”
She noted through this support and collaboration allows women to tap into a global network of inspiring women leaders. Eyerusalem explained that in Ethiopia this included bringing Coady graduates into WISE programs and events, building a community of shared learning and purpose.
“These relationships strengthen not only individuals but also communities and institutions,” she says.
“Across Africa, this network amplifies women’s leadership, encourages cross-border collaboration, and sustains grassroots change. The Coady Institute’s impact has been transformative, shaping leaders, strengthening communities, and inspiring lasting change.”
As a Katherine Fleming committee member, Kevin McGilly (Class of 1986) spoke about the “force multiplication” aspect of the award citing the example of Grace Arach of Uganda, the 2018 Katherine Fleming award recipient, who established the Foundation for Women Affected by Conflicts (FOWAC). Grace has taught dozens and dozens of women impacted by violence and war how to sew and make handbags as a way of livelihood for them and their families.
“It’s a big part of what this award is supposed to do,” Kevin says.
“Helping women leaders who have potential, who have ideas, who are entrepreneurs, give them tools so they can successfully build economic independence for themselves and their communities.”
While thanking those who have and continue to support the award, he noted hosting a course in Africa and to support 20 women for the Katherine Fleming Women’s Leadership Course that the endowment would need to grow from $635,000 to $1 million to cover more of the annual cost of the program.
“It’s not always easy when you make a charitable donation to know whether it’s being put to good use,” Kevin says.
“I don’t think there’s anything that I have ever contributed to that I am more confident is being magnified out in the field. So please know that your money is having a major impact. One of the big benefits is that the women need each other and build networks that help accelerate the work they’re doing and to improve economic viability in their communities.”
The 2026 Katherine Fleming Women’s Leadership Course will be held in Zambia with the 2004 Katherine Fleming Internation Development Award recipient, Dr. Emily Sikazwe serving as mentor.
Learn more and donate by going to Katherine Fleming International Development Award.
