 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
The Board of the Graça Machel Trust wishes to announce the resignation of our much-respected CEO, Melizsa Mugyenyi, who came on board in 2021 to lead the Graça Machel Trust (GMT) and drove its turnaround process following the challenging COVID period.  In her two years at the Trust, Melizsa has achieved a phenomenal amount,
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
Despite the consensus that education is a human right and agreement on the role it plays in human and social development, the issue of out-of-school children and children at risk of dropping out is still a critical one. According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS), the number of out-of-school children in Africa grew by
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
The #FinEquity2023 Annual Meeting convened on February 2023 for its first meeting this tea. It was themed, UsingâŻOne Tool to Serve Two Priorities Financial inclusion for women's Empowerment and Climate Transition.âŻThe meeting brought together the community to talk about why and how a relentless focus on women is needed in times of increasing climatic stressâwomen
The Adolescent Movement, an initiative of the Graça Machel Trust, is impacting the advocacy agenda for African young girls. With a focus on sexual reproductive health, leadership, mentoring and confidence development, the Movement is bringing together generations to bridge the gap. In February 2023, the Movement hosted its SHE SPEAKS Meeting, a hybrid event to
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
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.