About the Author: Andia Chakava is the Investment Director at Graça Machel Trust and Investment committee member at OPES LCEF Restart fund, Justice, equality, diversity and inclusion steering committee member at GenderSmart, visiting lecturer at Bertha Centre for social innovation and entrepreneurship and Founding Chairperson of New Faces New Voices Kenya.  IMPACT INVESTING IN
 With women in Africa making about half of the total continent population, itâs no wonder they play a key role in the economies of the continent. A recent report by the World Bank further indicates that sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the world where women make up the majority of those who are entrepreneurs.
Philanthropy is an effective tool in promoting sustainable giving in Africa      When Covid-19 broke out in Africa, two non-African billionaires, Jack Ma and Bill Gates, were among the first to donate masks, PPEâs, and other resources to support the fight against the pandemic across the African continent. Whilst their generosity
  "While it is becoming apparent that COVID- 19 has become the biggest threat to modern society and our economies in the last half century, the virusâs biggest impact however, is going to be on the rights of women."  The year 2020 was supposed to be the big year for women's rights and
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.