 We have 10 years to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As we mark the beginning of the new academic calendar, Graça Machel Trust is still committed in ensuring that every child has the possibility to begin his or her life with the best possible foundation that will allow them to reach their
This month, our Interim CEO, Dr. Shungu Gwarinda was privileged to deliver a  keynote address at The Great Funders Conference in Sandton. The event called different development partners, academics, and stakeholders from the development space from around Johannesburg to look into ways of developing the first South Africa CSI development agenda. The event themed  âThe Localised Sustainable Goalsâ narrowed
 Betty Chilondeâs path to success took various twists and turns, but it started when she was a little girl. âIâm the second-last born in a family of ten children. My parents had a lot of dependants besides us, sometimes it was difficult to stand out as an individual. It wasnât easy to express myself,
Leah Diana Mutebi: Founder, Butterfly Initiative- Zambia. Â She was privileged to have attended nursery school in the early 80s, at a time when most Zambian children her age would stay at home. With a public library near her parentsâ home in Lusakaâs Chilenje South township, Leah Diana Mutebi was pushed to learn
 Nosipho Dumisa is a pioneer. She is one of the few black female directors making a name for themselves in the South African film and television industry. Her debut feature film, Nommer 37, was praised by many reviews for being one of South Africansâ âworld classâ films. Itâs a crime-thriller set in the Cape
 Eva Kapinga is a social entrepreneur who is passionate about assisting rural women access funding and skills to grow their business and realise sustainability. This idea grew on Eva in 2016 when she attended a Village Community Banking (VICOBA) seminar in 2016. During this seminar she learnt about the Mata Masu Dubara (MMD) project
âIf you know your passion, and you are determined to reach your dream, then work hard, stay focused and nothing will be impossible in your journey of successâ â Jacqueline Baruti   Jacqueline Baruti has been running her furniture business for over five years. She is a beneficiary of the Graça Machel Trustâs Women
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenâs rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Childrenâs Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsâ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trustâs goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a motherâs health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childâs life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.