 On September 20th 2019, The Graça Machel Trust Interim CEO, Dr. Shungu Gwarinda joined development partners during a panel discussion themed  What has Changed on Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproduction Health and Rights since the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. This took place during an event that was organised by UNFPA East and
"If we are here in solidarity, with this beauty of unity, in our pain, we have to pledge to do something" -Graça Machel at Uyinene Mrwetyana's memorial service in Cape Town  September has been a very heavy month for the Trust, South Africa, and the rest of Africa. South Africa made headlines, for
Wednesday, 4 September 2019- University of Cape Town,  South Africa  I stand here as a grandmother to Uyinene, a grandmother in pain, and I can see and feel in everyone of us here, there is so much pain in the air. We are all wounded, some of us are extremely angry, others are confused, others
âEmpower a woman and a whole community will thrive, empowering women benefits everyone and is essential for communities to thrive. Research shows that increasing womenâs involvement leads to improved financial management and more sustainable, thriving communities,â-  Mrs Graça Machel.   We have partnered with the MasterCard Foundation and FinDev Canada to officially launch the Invest2Impact,
  âVery sad indeed. She is one the first and committed members of our GMT networks family. Very engaging and productive in collective work. She will be very much missed. May her gentle soul Rest In Peaceâ- Mama Graça Machel.  Tributes are still pouring in as we continue to remember and celebrate a
The Trust would like to congratulate members of our Women in Media Network - Selma Inocência  and Suzgo Khunga - who have recently been appointed into new and exciting roles in their respective countries. We wish them the very best in their endeavors!  Selma Inocência - Chief Operations Officer, Center for Democracy and Development (Mozambique)
The Graça Machel Trust has been running a Youth Advocates programme. This is a mentorship programme targeting young people from Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia on how to champion Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) in their countries. This month, the Trust is excited to welcome on board our newest members joining
Congratulations on your TAMWA Board Appointment Leah Mushi Graca Machel Trust Leah Mushi- WIMN The Graça Machel Trust is so pleased and would like to congratulate one of its Women in Media Network members from Tanzania, Leah Mushi, for being elected as board member of the Tanzania Womenâs Media Association (TAMWA). Leah, who
Gender Lens Investment Naming Event  On 21st May 2019, The Graça Machel Trustâs Gender Lens Investment (GMT-GLI) team organised an event that aimed at coming up with a name for the fund. It was really exciting to see influential women from the Trustâs networks around Kenya come together to celebrate and name
 Network building is a process and does not lend itself to quick results. Network building is an important area of our work as we believe in the power of the collective. In this piece we share a little on the Graça Machel Trustâs Women Economic and Social Advancement programme and how it has prioritized
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.