The Graça Machel Trust is delighted to announce that its Founder, Mrs Graça Machel is this year’s Lifetime African Philanthropy 2022 Recipient. Mrs Machel was recognised during The African Philanthropy Conference on Wednesday, 3 August 2022, in Sandton, South Africa.
Mrs Machel was awarded this prestigious Award for her tremendous contribution and notable efforts toward establishing structures and organisations that ensure sustainable peace in Mozambique and across Africa. In addition, she has mentored leaders and practitioners in the philanthropy sector through various interventions and mechanisms.
The establishment of the Foundation for Community Development (FDC) in Mozambique has made tremendous philanthropic contributions playing an essential role in shaping the new narratives around African philanthropy. Importantly, through her contribution to knowledge building of the African philanthropy sector, she has paved the way for narrative framing that many can emulate and replicate as the work of defining and refining African philanthropy continues.
We are truly inspired by our Founder’s commitment to promoting women’s leadership in Africa’s economic, social, and political development and advocating for protecting children’s rights and dignity. As a leading pan-African partner for change, the Trust has built on the passion of our Founder, Mrs Graça Machel, a global champion and renowned international advocate who continues to mobilise the power of collective action, through vibrant networks and strategic partnerships.
The Lifetime African Philanthropy Award was launched in 2021 primarily to recognise luminaries in the field while they are still alive. African philanthropy is still developing its narrative and position in the universality of philanthropies. The Award is given to an individual who has contributed immensely to the growth, practice, trajectory and meaning of African philanthropy for the last twenty and plus years.
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.