The diagnostic study on “Documenting Financial Inclusion Best Practices: Experience of 60 Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa and Zambia was undertaken by the Women’s Economic and Social Advancement (WESA) Programme at Graça Machel Trust (GMT) funded by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). GMT has played a leading role in amplifying women’s movements, influencing governance, and promoting women’s contributions and leadership in the economic, social and political development of Africa: and advocate for the protection of children’s rights and dignity.
We would like to extend our appreciation to the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) for supporting the Graça Machel Trust (GMT) with the grant to implement the project “Documenting Financial Inclusion Best Practices: Experience of 60 Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa and Zambia” that is driven by the Women’s Economic and Social Advancement Programme (WESA) at the Trust.
We would like to thank the women entrepreneurs from the Women Creating Wealth (WCW) Programme who have agreed to participate in the study by availing their time to share their experiences, challenges, successes and hopes in the survey and interview sessions. We would also like to thank representatives from various financial institutions who have given us their time to share insights and knowledge to enrich this study. We trust that the information shared in this study will contribute towards identifying best and emerging practices and existing gaps that will enable the Trust to develop evidence-based financial inclusion advocacy at country, regional and continental levels to promote gender-responsive strategies that are inclusive and place women at the forefront.
Finally, we would like to thank the WESA team and Women Creating Wealth (WCW) team for ensuring that this study is carried out successfully.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting children’s 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 Children’s Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescents’ 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 Trust’s 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 mother’s health and social economic conditions, the early years of a child’s life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.