 Nelson Mandela's legacy is one of courage, resilience, and leadership. His vision of a united Africa requires transformational leadership to be achieved. One of his most profound quotes on leadership from his personal notebook (January 16, 2000) was, "A real leader uses every issue, no matter how serious and sensitive, to ensure that at
Photo: Pexel picha stock by Andrea Piacquadio  Achieving gender equality, women's empowerment and youth participation is integral for economic growth on the African continent. Research has shown that money in the hands of women goes a long way to addressing poverty and inequality. According to the World Bank, more women than men are
Africa is believed to have the highest proportion of women entrepreneurs. Despite the challenges women face in many African countries, they make remarkable strides in entrepreneurship. In fact, according to the World Bank, women make up the majority of entrepreneurs in Africa. This is a testament to the resilience and determination of African women, who are defying
Imagine living where over 640 million people, including children, cannot access electricity. Unfortunately, this is a harsh reality for many Africans. Shockingly, the electricity access rate for African countries is just over 40 percent, the lowest in the world. The use of fuel wood for cooking has also had a devastating impact on the health
For many years, the Graça Machel Trust has worked with women-led farmers to propel them beyond subsistence farming into viable businesses that participate equitably in the agricultural value chain. Between 2017 and 2018 our African Women in Agribusiness Network (AWAB) African Food Basket Program achieved impact in Malawi and Zambia through an inclusive business model with
As part of its $200 Million Equitable Access Initiative, Visa Foundation commits $1 Million to two local organizations â AfriLabs and Graça Machel Trust â building on its efforts to support gender diverse and inclusive small and micro businesses  Today at the 10th Africa Sankalp Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, Visa Foundation announced a $1 Million grant partnership with
March is globally recognised as Women's Month. The United Nations and UN Women celebrate this day by showcasing the incredible achievements of women around the globe and the victories they have attained to bring us closer to gender-equal societies. Â As we conclude the International Women's Month celebrations, it is important to reflect on the
Five inspiring facts about Jacqueline Dube. Â In the next five years, we should be the biggest local producer of textile garments and be able to compete with imported finished garments so that we contribute towards the government's import substitution. We should have created over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs and set up another textile
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.